Young carers safety planning
When you help care for someone there may be situations that arise where you are unexpectedly unable to help, maybe you get ill or if you have an accident.
Depending on your caring situation it can be good to think through what might happen if there is an emergency and you are not around to help care. Making a plan for what can be done if you aren’t available can help reduce stress for you and the cared for.
If you are the primary carer for someone, it is even more vital that you have talked with your parent/ guardian and the person you care for to agree arrangements to ensure that both you and the person you care for are able to stay safe.
We are calling this plan a Safety plan.
What is in your safety plan depends on the needs of the cared for and will be different in every situation. Things you might need to think about.
1. Plan replacement care
If you share care with a parent/ guardian or sibling, then it can be quite clear that they can take over the responsibilities you usually undertake. It's still good to talk this through.
If you are the primary carer then think about family members, friends and neighbours who may well be able to help out. Make sure you feel you and the cared for person would feel safe with them and that you trust them. With the support of your parent/ guardian talk with the person you have identified and explain when you might need their support and what support might be needed. It is important that they are prepared in advance and you and the cared for person have their contact details. It may be helpful to write down what they need to know so that they can easily refer to it when they need to.
2. Share information on:
- Contact for GP of cared for and any other agencies supporting them.
- Medication the cared for takes, or where this is written down.
- Details of any allergies or dietary requirements.
Try to make the plan clear and easy to understand. Have a copy easily accessible at home so the trusted person can find it easily. (You could try the Message in a Bottle scheme by the Lions Club).
3. Keep information on you to say you are a young carer
You could make a small card and have it in your phone cover with who to contact when you are unable to provide care.
You could save emergency phone numbers in your mobile if you have one. Save the contact details with their name as ICE (In Case of Emergencies, if you have multiple numbers then you could use ICE1, ICE2 etc.
4. Register as a young carer at your GP
Let your GP know you are a young carer or ask your parent/guardian to tell them. With this in place if they become aware you are unwell, they will know the person you care for may need additional support.
5. Get some First Aid training
Every young person could benefit from taking a basic first aid course. Knowing what to do in an emergency could save lives. Just having the knowledge that you know what to do can give piece of mind. The Carers Support Centre Young Carers Service offers this training free for young carers registered with them. You can contact them on youngc@carerssupportcentre.org.uk