Young carers: full survey

Young carers at Christmas: full Community Care survey of 109 young carers aged 8-16 conducted over a fortnight in November.

We asked young carers: what would make your Christmas better?

“A perfect, stress free, everyone feeling at their best Christmas – which will never happen.”

“For someone to take all the worry of my Nana – she tries to get everything we need as have never known where to go for it.”

“Because social services have split up my Dad from me and my Mum, to make Christmas better, I would like my Dad to be with us on Christmas Day, like a family again.”

“A calmer Christmas, no arguments, no alcohol, less hassle.”

“Someone to help put the Christmas lights up”

“For my loved ones to be in perfect health.”

“If I could get my Mum a special present to cheer her up and make her a bit happier.”

“To not look after my Mum or brother at Christmas and have a good time instead.”

“If my brother could enjoy Christmas like me.”

“To have all my family around me on Christmas day.”

“Having more time with the family without having to worry about anything and being able to relax more.”

“If it snowed”

“If all the problems went away and Christmas at my house could be happy – and my family got along. And that my Mum would listen to me more.”

“A chance to get away from things.”

“Nothing because I have all my family and friends around me and that’s all I need.”

“My Christmas’s are mostly fine as me and my family have a lot of support from friends and family. But many of my friends who are carers don’t have such good Christmas’s – I would like them to enjoy and look forward to it as well.”

“Money and a Dad.”

“Some more praise for young carers.”

“If Mum was not poorly and we could afford proper presents.”

“More people around to make it easier to buy my loved ones a present for Xmas, instead of having to make them.”

“Nothing. It is perfect and special as it is.”

“Seeing santa.”

“To have time to chill out.”

How much time on Christmas Day will you spend caring for another member of your family?

1 hour   13% 
2 hours   13%
3 hours   15%
4 hours   7%
5 hours   10%
6 or more hours  42%

Will someone help you with your caring tasks over the Christmas period?

Yes  64%
Don’t Know 29%
No  7%

Will you get a break from caring this Christmas?

Yes  58%
Don’t Know 31%
No   11%

If the answer to the above question is yes, who will you spend your time off with?

Friends   23%
Brother or sister 22%
Other relatives  36%
On your own   6%
Don’t know   12%

Who will cook a special Christmas lunch in your house?

You    24%
Your brother or sister 6%
Another relative 66%
A paid care worker 0%
Don’t know   4%

Have you talked to a social worker in the last year about what support you need?

Yes  31%
Don’t know 23%
No   46%

If the answer to the previous question is yes, what support did it lead to you receiving?
(Ranked from the most common actions implemented  – 1 – to the least – 12)

1 Advice on being a carer
2 Opportunity to meet other young carers
3 Support from a care worker that enables you to have regular breaks
4 Information about other organisations that can help
5 Help with school work
6 Help with cleaning
7 Nothing
8 Help with shopping
9 The chance to go on holiday
10 A better care package for the person you are caring for
11 Help with transport
12 Help with sorting out the household bills

Which two of the following words best describes your feelings at Christmas?
(Ranked from the most common actions implemented  – 1 – to the least – 11)

1 Happy
2 Excited
3 Loved
4 Needed
5 Tired
6 Supported
7 Worried
8 Lonely
9 Guilty
10 Resentful
11Essential

Would more support from professional carers help you to live more like other children/young people?

Yes  20%
Don’t know 57%
No   23%

What condition or illness does the relative you care for have?

Chronic illness or physical disability 40%
Mental health problem  22%
Learning disability    7%
Terminal illness   2%
Substance misuse    0%
A combination of these   19%

What relation are they to you?

Mum or Dad  71%
Brother or sister  23%
Grand parent   6%