Help with being a carer

The Carers Card is a free card that carers can use to get discounts on local services and activities. You can find a full list of discounts on the Carers Hub.

You can apply for a carers card, cards are valid for two years.

You can also:

• renew your card if it's expired
• apply for a replacement card if you've lost yours.

The Young Carers Project can support young carers through access to group support, like school holiday activities, creative workshops or term-time drop-in sessions.

It can also help by giving young carers an allocated support worker, who'll be a point of contact for them. They'll also be able to advocate for the young carer and make sure their views are heard, for example at school or in multi-agency meetings.

Sometimes, this worker can offer some emotional support as well.

Where there might be gaps in support, a Family Coach from ITF (or social worker if the family already has one) can work with the family around anything that they might need support with, to change or improve their situation.

This could be:

• completing a young carer's assessment and plan
• looking at how to increase support for the young carer, and to reduce their caring role and responsibilities where needed and reduce any negative impact they experience
• making sure the right services are involved to support all family members - this can include help to access these services
• advocating for your family
• support with issues like physical and mental health, housing, finances, parenting support, challenging behaviours and issues with education or attendance

Parents and professionals can make a referral for a young carer to get help from The Young Carers Project. The family must give their consent first.

Once the referral is made The Young Carers Project will send out a welcome pack and get in touch. A Brighton & Hove City Council Family Coach will also get in touch to discuss if whole family support is something the family might like to access.

If you have any questions about a young carer, their family or would like to discuss a possible referral you can send an email to youngcarers@brighton-hove.gov.uk.

If you are a health professional, you can make a referral for an adult carer to get help.

This should be done with the carer’s permission and while they are present as there are a number of questions they will need to answer.