Anyone can be a carer – a carer is someone who provides care to someone who couldn’t manage without their help. This could include a friend or family member. Some examples of carers might be:
- A 15-year-old girl looking after a parent with a long-term health condition.
- A 35-year-old man looking after his teenage child who has autism.
- A 40-year-old man caring for his partner who has terminal cancer.
- An 80-year-old woman looking after her husband who has Alzheimer’s disease.
It can be difficult for carers to separate their caring role from their relationship that they have with the person they care for, particularly when that person is a parent, child or partner.
As there is no set definition of a carer, the roles and responsibilities that carers have vary a lot. Some carers may help with everyday tasks such as getting dressed or eating, while others may offer emotional support to the person they care for.
If you are an unpaid carer, you have certain rights, outlined in a number of Government Acts and policies. Under the Care Act 2014, you are entitled to a Carers Assessment, which is carried out by Sefton Council. This assessment looks at your responsibilities as a carer and what support needs to be put in place to help you in your role.
The Carers Assessment is a statutory requirement, but sometimes carers need additional support and guidance. In Sefton, there are a number of support services and community groups available for carers to discuss their role and get personalised guidance.
Additional information is available on the Sefton Carers Centre website.
Types of carers
Children and young people under the age of 18 who provide care to a family member who has a physical illness/disability, mental illness, sensory disability or problematic use of drugs or alcohol are classed as young carers.
Young carers take on practical and/or emotional caring responsibilities that would normally be expected of an adult. They may be doing tasks like shopping, cooking or housework, or they may be feeding, toileting and bathing the person they care for. They may also be looking after siblings, giving medication, interpreting because of hearing, visual or speech impairment, or because English is not the first language.
They could also be providing emotional support for the person they care for, especially if the person has a mental health problem or substance addiction.
Young Carers can face multiple problems as a result of the impact of caring. They may experience social exclusion and bullying, problems in getting to school or getting there on time, homework and attainment difficulties, low self-esteem and self-confidence, constant worry about the person they care for, as well as financial difficulties.
A parent carer is a person who provides care for a child or young person who has additional needs, such as a disability, illness, or mental health issues. Parent carers may also care for their adult children who are unable to manage without their help.
Parent carers can face different challenges and access different services than other carers. They may work closely with Children’s Social Care, CAMHS, SEND and education services. When their child turns 18, the services that support the parent carer will move to adult services. This can be a challenging time for the young person and their carer. In Sefton, there are dedicated transition teams to help support people during this change.
An adult carer is anyone who is aged 18 and over and caring for another adult. This could be their spouse, partner, parent, relative or friend.
A sandwich carer is someone who cares for people in different generations. For example, they may care for their children and their parents at the same time. They might work with different services within Sefton Council and the wider community, which means the support that they might need could differ for each of their caring roles. Each caring role has its own challenges, and they may feel isolated in their role.
A former carer is someone who used to look after someone who couldn’t manage without their help, but no longer does so. This may be because the person they cared for has:
- Died.
- Recovered to the point that they no longer need a carer’s support.
- The carer no longer wants to provide care. It is important to remember that there is no obligation for an unpaid carer to provide care for someone.
Former carers may still need support, particularly if their caring role has come to an end suddenly.