We believe that children and young people should not have to do the same levels of caring as adults. If you are under 18 and caring for someone, it is important that you get the help and support you might need.

Children and young people can miss out on school or time with friends, not get enough sleep and have a lot of worries.

If you need help and support

Support for young carers can come from many different places

There might be a teacher, school nurse or a young carers group at your school where you can chat about how things are going at home. You can talk to your GP or youth worker about the caring you do and how you feel about it.

You could join an Oxfordshire young carers' project - they offer different activities, breaks, or trips, and can give you lots of information and support.

Oxfordshire wide Young Carers Project
Spurgeons
Tel: 01865 309602
Email: adminoxfordshire@spurgeons.org

South
South and Vale Young Carers' Project
Tel: 01235 510212
Email: Carers@svCarers.org.uk

North
Spurgeons Young Carers' Service
Tel: 01865 309602 or 07854 726678
Email: kwalsh@spurgeons.org

Oxfordshire County Council

• We do a lot of work to support young carers
• You can ask for a family assessment
• Or if you are aged 16 or over you can ask for an assessment of the caring you do - these assessments can be done by the care manager or social worker of the person you are caring for.
• If your family does not have a care manager or social worker then the Young Carers Project can help you get the assessments and support you might need

For any other information about work to support young carers and their families then please call our Young Carers staff on 07919 298263.

Other contacts

The Children Society
The Children’s Society’s Include Project works with voluntary and statutory services to support children and young people who care for parents or siblings who suffer from chronic illness or disability.
Web: www.youngCarer.com

Princess Royal Trust for Carers Young People’s website
Information and help for Young Carers
Web: www.youngCarers.net

Childline

24 hour free and confidential help line for children and young people
Tel: 0800 1111
Web: www.childline.org.uk

Cruse Bereavement
Special counselling for young people
Tel: 0808 808 1677 (FREE phone helpline available Monday - Friday, 9.30am - 5pm)
Web: www.rd4u.org.uk

General Youth Information
Guide to Young People

TheSite.org
YouthNet UK
First Floor
50 Featherstone Street
London
EC1Y 8RT

Tel: 020 7250 5700
Email: media@youthnet.org
Web: www.thesite.org

Youth Net
An organisation that guides and supports young people, enabling them to make educated life choices, participate in society and achieve their ambitions.

YouthNet
First Floor
50 Featherstone Street
London
EC1Y 8RT

Tel: 020 7250 5700
Fax: 020 7250 3695
Web: www.youthnet.org

Carers' Line 

Advice line from the National Carers' Association.
Tel: 0345 573369

Caring Matters/Carers' UK
Advice service on legal aspects of care
Web:www.Carersuk.org

Rethink Carer Support
For young carers of adults with mental health difficulties.
Tel: 01865 455607     

The Oxfordshire Carers Forum
An independent group of volunteers, carers and ex-carers, who promote carers' interests, support their needs and ensure their views are heard by voluntary, professional and statutory organisations.
Tel: 01235 520440
Fax: 01235 533966
Email: admin@oxoncarersforum.org.uk
Web: www.oxoncarersforum.org.uk

Young Minds
Telephone helpline service to parents and carers in the UK who have a concern about their child's emotional problems or behaviour.
Tel: 0808 802 5544 (Call free 9.30am - 4pm, Monday to Friday)
Email: parents@youngminds.org.uk
Web: www.youngminds.org.uk

Download guides

• Download the Young Carers fact sheet for a more detailed version of this page (pdf format, 52 KB)
• A guide to support services for young people update October 2011 to June 2012 (pdf format, 217 KB)
• Signpost for support for young carers (pdf format, 98 KB)
• A guide to support services for young carers (pdf format, 90 KB)
• The Oxfordshire Young Carers' Strategy 2008-2013 (pdf format, 259 KB)