A young carer or young caregiver

Caregiver

Caregiver may refer to:* Caregiver or carer - an unpaid person who cares for someone requiring support due to a disability, frailty, mental health problem, learning disability or old age...

is a child or young person (up to the age of 18 or in some programs 25) whose life is affected by looking after someone with a disability

Disability

A disability may be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental or some combination of these.Many people would rather be referred to as a person with a disability instead of handicapped...

 or a long-term illness.

The person they care for may be a parent, a sibling, another family member or a friend, but does not necessarily live in the same house as them. The care they give may be practical, physical, and emotional.

The terms "disability" and "long-term illness" do not mean just a physical disability or illness, but also cover, for example, mental illness, learning disability, or drug addiction, frailty or old age.

External links

• http://www.youngcarer.com - Young Carers in the UK
• Young Carers Research Group, UK
• Research on young carers being undertaken on behalf of the Princess Royal Trust
• http://www.youngcarers.net/
• http://www.youngcarers.net.au/