It can be hard to talk to teachers but it is every teachers job to help you get the most out of school. To help you stop worrying you could arrange with the school to:

* Let you use the school phone or your mobile to call the person you are looking after without having to explain why each time
* Go to lunch early if you need to get home at lunchtime

Sometimes you might not feel like going to school but if you miss the chance to get the most out of it then it can affect your whole life. Here are some suggestions you could discuss with your teacher to make it easier to attend school:

* Give you extra time to hand work in when the person you are looking after is ill
* Do detentions inside school time so that you can get home to look after someone
* Help your parents get to parents evenings if they have trouble leaving the house
* Not ask you about your home life when others are listening
* Help you if you are getting bullied


Young people and children are only taken into care when people are really worried that they are at risk, unsafe or being neglected. It is important as a Youn Carer you know what support is available. To help make choices about the amount of care you can give without putting yourself or others at risk, speak to someone you can trust like a GP (doctor), social worker, teacher or youth worker. Remember you have the right to be consulted and fully involved in discussions that affect your life.

People mean well but sometimes they might not always understand your life but you can help set them straight. Talking to people about personal stuff can feel risky but by discussing your life as a Young Carer, you can help them understand how you feel. By talking about positive aspects of caring you can then explain the reasons why you don't want them to feel sorry for you.

There are a lot of differnet reasons why someone becomes ill or no reason at all. What is important is that you realise that it is not your fault; you cannot cause someone else's illness. If you feel like this it would be a good idea to find out more information and speak to a GP or Health Worker to help you understand more about the illness.

If you feel that the person you caring for is becoming worse off because of their illness and they are not asking for help then you need to talk to a trusted Adult. Remember you are not reponsible for your parents health but professionals supporting your parent(s) like GPs, Mental Health, Addiction or Social Workers can help if you let them know what is happening.