Young carer's voice focus group
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Healthwatch Wirral sent out a short survey before the meeting of the Young Carer’s Voice focus group. The young carers ranged in age from 11-16 and were all caring for at least one family member. Many of the group were helping to care for a parent and some also had caring responsibilities for siblings.
The young carers shared some of their experiences around being listened to and mentioned access to the COVID-19 vaccination for the people they care for as a current issue.
All the young carers in the group attend school but they access education in different ways. Some attend school in person, some do online learning, and others do a mix.
- Most of the group found online learning difficult, especially working from home and having added distractions
- Some were doing their GCSE years and found it very stressful to be expected to complete the same amount of work as if they were in school and to get everything in on time
- Those with additional needs e.g. autism missed some of the support provided in school that isn’t available at home in the same way
Many felt that the change in routine during lockdown, and the lack of variety from not being able to go out, has had a negative effect on their mental health.