Monday 10 October 2011

Britain's Hidden Army -Load your pencil case ...aim...fire

         
If like me you are still licking your lips after a slice of cake and a lovely cup of coffee at your local Macmillan Cancer Support “Worlds Biggest Coffee Morning” event last Friday, then you should  feel glad that your contribution has gone a long way to support the great nurses and support staff who work across the Macmillan teams.

I have had the privilege to have a clinical and educative involvement with Macmillan Cancer Support over a number of years. Their involvement with families at a grass root level so soon after the worst of all health news is broken, and anxiety and helplessness sets in, is second to none.  However, little is known about their work,  their holistic approach to supporting families and particularly children and young people who find themselves helping to care for a parent, guardian or sibling. 

                                                           
The term Young Carer  is not new but probably one we feel a little confused about as to its full meaning, or our possible input as professionals in education or health and social care  or in a policy making capacity.


Children and young people are likely to have jobs around the house as part of regular family life and want to add to pocket money for sure but where is the line between washing the dishes and say, washing your mum?


How normal is it to be responsible for organising your younger siblings breakfast and then making sure that dad has had his medications before you head off to school . Not that normal really for most children but a growing concern. 


It will soon be the BBC Children in Need 2011 campaign and following last years round of great appeals, the plight of young carer’s was highlighted in terms of the "hidden army" (please spend some time to consider the audio and video stories).


This year’s BBC Children in Need will revive our awareness as to the intimate involvement children and young people have in the care of a loved one and already funding for young carers is being discussed as a national concern.


I see in today's media that the Health Lottery (with Melinda Messenger as their new TV presenter) is promoting its credibility on the back of the funds that will be directed to young carers (seriously …only 20p in the pound going to charity....shame on you). I am not plugging that one, you can find it for yourself.
So in the real world, a prominent name in the drive to raise awareness of the work of the hidden army of carers is Professor Saul Becker  who is a well published and respected contributor in this field. Dr Jo Aldridge and Chris Dearden and are also invaluable contributors as is their work with  Loughborough University’s Young Carers Research Group.

Probably a better known personality to be affected by the experience of being a young carer is X Factor’s new judge Tulisa Contostavlos (although in the Education and Social Care arena.... Saul Becker is huge). Regardless of your thoughts regarding Cowell’s weekly pantomime of nonsense (sadly my children are hooked), Tulissa presented a touching and stripped back account of her experiences as a young carer on BBC 3 in Tulissa: My mum and me  

The programme offered an enlightening insight into the separation anxiety and pressures experienced by young people who grow up far too early.