A young carer or young caregiver 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 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.
Famous quotes containing the word young:
“Too many existing classrooms for young children have this overriding goal: To get the children ready for first grade. This goal is unworthy. It is hurtful. This goal has had the most distorting impact on five-year-olds. It causes kindergartens to be merely the handmaidens of first grade.... Kindergarten teachers cannot look at their own children and plan for their present needs as five-year-olds.”
—James L. Hymes, Jr. (20th century)