Young carer

What is available?

Information, support and advice are available for children and young people who care for a disabled family member.

If the person you care for has a social worker, speak to them as they can offer you an assessment of your needs as a carer and offer support and information that can help you.

Even if they do not have a social worker, you are still entitled to an assessment of your needs. Contact Enfield Health and Adult Social Care to have your needs as a carer assessed.

Also, the Enfield Joint Service for Disabled Children can offer support if you have a disabled brother or sister. They provide activities and opportunities to meet other children or young people of a similar age. It is important for siblings of disabled children to know that they are not the only one with a brother or sister with a special need.

More information on the Joint Service for Disabled Children

You can also get information, advice and help from other organisations.

Dazu Young Carers Project
Dazu supports children and young people who are under 18 years old and have caring responsibilities in their families.

You can contact them by phone, email or post, through other voluntary groups or you can be referred by your school.

Dazu runs a free counselling service, trips to different places, free access to Dazu's recreational activities, a quarterly newsletter written by a young carer, leisure vouchers and an advocacy service. DAZU also funds access to other people's services as well as their own.

Young Carers Net
YCNet is a supportive, online community of young carers.  This website gives advice and real life stories to help young carers with their own situations.
You can join the YCNet Community and chat to other young carers and youth workers in a secure chat room, take part in discussion forums, get advice from the Agony Aunt or qualified youth workers.

Who can get help?

Young carers who look after someone in their family who has a physical, sensory, emotional or learning impairment; long-term illness; HIV; drug or alcohol dependence; or has a mental health issue. This could be a parent, brother or sister.

In order to work out just how much help is needed to make life easier for you as a young carer, we do need to carry out a Carers Assessment.

What is a Carers Assessment?

The Carers Assessment is a discussion about your needs as a carer.

After the assessment we will discuss with you how we may be able to help, either through specific services or by giving you information about help that voluntary groups can provide.

Useful contacts

To request an assessment of your needs as a carer, you can complete our online form or you can contact Adult Social Care.

Request an assessment online

Adult Social Care
Phone: 020 8379 1001
Email: adultsocialcare@enfield.gov.uk
Textphone: 020 8379 6962
Fax: 020 8379 2810

Enfield Joint Service for Disabled Children
Address: Cheviots Children's Centre, 31 Cheviot Close, Enfield EN1 3UZ
Phone: 020 8363 4047
Website: Enfield Joint Service for Disabled Children

Carers Direct- Information for young carers
Website: http://www.nhs.uk/CarersDirect/young/young/Pages/Overview.aspx

Dazu Young Carers Project
Address: The Ark, Unit 1, Marsh House, 500 Montagu Road, Edmonton, London N9 0UR
Phone: 020 8373 2718 / 2720
Email: dazu22@yahoo.com
Website: http://www.dazu.co.uk/

Enfield Carers Centre
Contact the centre for drop-in times and information on events and activities.
Address: Britannia House, 137-143 Baker Street, Enfield EN1 3JL
Phone: 020 8367 6395
Website: http://www.enfieldcarers.org/

Young Carers Net
Website: http://www.youngcarers.net/