Young Carers

Young Carers Information

When a member of your family is diagnosed with MS, there will be a lot of changes in the family. Being a young carer is more common than you may realise and there are probably about 175,000 young carers in the UK. They are all looking after a member of their family with a range of illnesses including Multiple Sclerosis. Whether you are looking after the family member on your own or you have another family member to help you it is important that you remember to ask for help when you need it.

Are you or do you know a young carer who is coping with life with MS in the family? Perhaps they would like some advice but are shy to ask.

The MS Society has produced a Booklet ‘MS in your Life - a Guide for Young Carers”. You can obtain this book by contacting our Welfare Officers and they will arrange for you to receive one.

A Chance to Talk – this is a young people message board where you can talk to other young carers coping with MS in the family. Log into to www.mssociety.org.uk and click on ‘A Chance to Talk’. PLEASE NOTE: Whatever website you go on, please get parental permission and let them know you are going to look at them for support.

Annie & Dan talk about MS – this is a new DVD aimed at children under 10 years old, although it is suitable for any age. It features two puppets discussing MS and what is means. If you would like a copy, please ask your parents to contact our Welfare Officer and they will arrange for you to receive one.

Some of the common tasks that young carers perform are:

Housework
Household shopping
Looking after brothers and sisters
Supporting other members of the family
Helping the person with MS get washed and dressed
Simply being there to listen to a person with MS
Preparing meals for the family

Young Carer

There may be help available for you so don’t forget to ask. You can contact our Welfare Officer to see if they know of any support that you can get. You can also get further information on MS by contacting the MS National Centre, 372 Cricklewood Road, Cricklewood, London NW2 6ND

Our Newsletter is published each month and is called ‘MS Communicator’ and we have a page for young carers which features competitions and events that you may like to take part in.

As a young carer, you may like to raise funds to help the branch support people with MS. You can volunteer to fundraise by contacting our Fundraising Officer, whose details are printed in the ‘MS Communicator’.

If you require any further information on young carers, please contact our Welfare Officers – Debbie on 020-8660-0389 or Anne on 020-8656-2155.

Click here to meet Sparks the MS Robot. He is fully charged and good to go. Sparks will tell kids and teens everything you need to know about MS. You can also have a go and make your own Robot.