Young carers

A young carer is a person under 18 years who provides care to another person.

You can tell us how to make support better by doing this short questionnaire.

Aged 8-18 years?  Get help from No Limits.

Southampton has a dedicated service specifically designed to support young carers.  We work with No Limits to provide the Young Carers Service for a smooth transition into the adult carer support service where needed.  Further information on their support and other services that can support young carers is available below.  We have broken down the information to help you identify the right help to either inside or outside Southampton.

Young Carers in Southampton is a project in partnership with Southampton Mencap for children and young people aged 8-18 years old whose lives are affected by caring for an unwell or disabled family member.

Phone: 023 8022 4224

Young Carers Email: [email protected]

No Limits Email: [email protected]

Website page: https://nolimitshelp.org.uk/get-help/family-care/young-carers-in-southampton/

If you are a young carer who doesn't know who to contact please contact us on 023 8058 2387 and we can make the referral for you.

Please click here for details of current service within Covid-19 restrictions

How can a young person, or someone concerned about a young person, access support from No Limits?
- call 023 8022 4224
- go to www.nolimitshelp.org.uk to use webchat
- email [email protected] 
A youth worker is available to provide support during the following hours:
Monday: 10am-5pm
Tuesday: 10am-5pm
Wednesday: 1.30pm-8pm
Thursday: 10am-8pm
Friday: 10am-5pm
Saturday: 10am-1.30pm

Service details:

  • Whole family approach
  • Developing National Young Carers in Schools programme across city
  • Regular groups delivering knowledge, skills, respite, fun and soft outcomes sessions
  • 1:1 support for those with high levels of need
  • Matching with volunteer befrienders to provide positive relationships
  • Signposting to other support services
  • Providing fun activities and access to opportunities

Risk factors for young carers:

  • School absence
  • Academic under-achievement
  • Social isolation
  • Physical and emotional ill-health

Critical success factor is working with other services e.g.

  • GP, mental health services, housing and sexual health support, substance misuse services
  • Partners and venues offering fun and respite e.g. sailing, flying, theme parks, sport, Hawk Conservancy, picnics in the park

It is estimated there are 700,000 young carers in the UK; roughly this equates to [1 in 12] secondary aged pupils are a young carer. Source: Carers Trust

Care does not include volunteering or employment in care services, but it does include a young person providing practical support, personal care and/or emotional support to another person (usually a parent, but it can also be a sibling, grandparent or friend of the family) who may, for example, have a disability, serious illness, or needs that relate to old age or as a result of the misuse of substances.  In Southampton the young carer population is 466 under 15; 1,612 aged 16-25 (Estimates based on 2011 Census).

Any young person approaching or already 18 years old can access support through Carers in Southampton.  We offer support, guidance, signposting, information, carers cards and statutory carers assessments which can sometimes lead to a small budget that does not affect statutory benefits.

Almost or already 18? Refer yourself to us.

Referring someone else?

If you are a professional referring a child or young person to No Limits, please click here to make a referral.

Services in Southampton

Services outside Southampton