Are you a carer?

A carer is someone who helps another person, usually a relative or friend, in their day-to-day life. This is not the same as someone who provides paid care, or unpaid care through a voluntary organisation.

A young carer is someone under the age of 18 who provides care for a family member or friend who cannot manage without their support due to illness, disability, mental health issues, or substance misuse.

A parent carer is a parent who provides substantial and regular care to a child under 18 with a disability, illness, mental health condition, or other significant needs.

It takes on average of two years to self identify as a carer, why?

Caring is often seen as part of family life
People tend to view their support as part of being a parent, child, sibling, or partner—not as a separate “carer” role.
- Emotional bonds and family duty can mask the extent of the care being provided.

The caring role can emerge gradually
- Responsibilities may increase slowly over time, making it hard to pinpoint when “caring” began.
- Others may experience a sudden shift due to illness or crisis, but still not adopt the label.

Multiple or shared caring roles
- Some individuals care for more than one person (e.g., children and aging parents—known as sandwich carers).
- When care is shared among family members, people may not see themselves as the “main” carer.

Living arrangements can obscure the role
- Carers may live with the person they support or provide care from a distance.
- Remote or informal support may not feel like “real” caring, even when it’s consistent and essential.