Resources - Young Carers

Being A Young Carer (238kb PDF file) - this report is produced by the Commission for Social Care Inspection and gives a clear account of what it's like to be a young carer, as described by young carers themselves
Being Seen and Heard . Royal College of Psychiatrists. A training package providing practical and creative suggestions about working with children and parents. It contains clips of children, young people and their parents talking about their experiences of mental illness and how professional can work effectively with them.
Caring around the clock (PDF file), booklet with information and support for young people, The Royal College of Psychiatrists.
Checklist for Professionals working with young mental health carers (Royal College of Psychiatrists)
Children Caring for Parents with Mental Illness: Perspectives of Young Carers, Parents and Professionals, by Jo Aldridge, Saul Becker, The Policy Press, March 2003.
Children Caring for Parents with Severe and Enduring Mental illness (PDF file), by Jo Aldridge, Saul Becker, Chris Dearden, Centre for Child and Family Research, Loughborough University, October 2002.
Children in care, Children who Care: Parental Illness and Disability and the Child Care (PDF file), by Chris Dearden and Saul Becker, Young Carers Research Group, Loughborough University, April 1997.
Children of Parents with a Mental Illness (COPMI), Australian website containing a range of many helpful downloadable resources.
Family Minded - Barnardo's report supporting children in families affected by mental illness.
Finding My Way: A Teen’s Guide to Living with a Parent Who Has Experienced Trauma - Seeds of Hope Books
Hidden Children: A Study of Ex-Young Carers of Parents with Mental Health Problems in Leeds, by Elliott, A. (1992) Leeds City Council Department of Social Services
I’m Not Alone: A Teens Guide to Living with a Parent Who Has a Mental Illness - Seeds of Hope Books
It's about you too! Leaflet: Information for young carers 8 - 10 (NSF Scotland)
Keeping the Family in Mind Resource Pack (PDF file), including a video and young carers pack explaining mental health with their own drawings etc. For further details email louise.wardale@barnardos.org.uk
Making it work: good practice with young carers and their families, Frank J (2002) The Children's Society and the Princess Royal Trust for Carers: London
Need to Know Leaflet: Information for young carers 11 - 14 (NSF Scotland)
Parents in Hospital: How mental health services can best promote family contact when a parent is in hospital (July 2007) - A stay in hospital can represent a significant crisis, not just in terms of a parent’s individual mental health but of family life overall, and may have long term repercussions beyond the period of hospitalisation itself. The findings of this report suggest that this can be re-framed as an opportunity for services to provide more holistic care.
SCIE Resource Guide 9 "Working together to support disabled parents" shows how to develop inter agency protocols to support families with additional needs
SCIE Knowledge Review 11 - supporting disabled parents and parents with additional support needs
The health and wellbeing of young carers: Research Briefing 11 (SCIE)
“When a Parent has a Mental Illness: Helping Children Cope” - A leaflet produced for carers and professionals to provide support for young mental health carers. Produced by the World Fellowship for Schizophrenia and Allied Disorders. Available free to order at the World Schizophrenia Fellowship publication index.
Working together to support disabled parents This report shows how to develop inter agency protocols to support families in which parents have additional needs related to physical and/or sensory impairments, learning disabilities, mental health, drug and alcohol-related problems or serious illnesses. Jenny Morris and Michele Waites. March 2008.
Young Minds magazine - news, analysis, parliamentary coverage, opinion, features, reviews, conferences and appointments.
Young Carers, parents and their families: Key Principles of Practice, Frank J and McLarnon J. The Children's Society, For more information please e-mail Toni-Marie Smith‌ or download a order form. A supportive online resource, the Whole Family Pathway, designed to be used alongside this book is available here.
Young Carers in their own words (Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation)
“Leave my stuff alone! A story for young teen siblings” - A leaflet for young mental health carers produced by the World Fellowship for Schizophrenia and Allied Disorders. Available free to order at the World Schizophrenia Fellowship publication index.
www.youngcarers.net - includes useful information for young people who may be caring for someone with a mental health illness. This includes information on different types of mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety, as well as information on different organisations that may be able to help.

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