24 November 2021
Important information for unpaid adult carers and young carers
Carers Rights Day is a national campaign focusing on raising awareness of the rights unpaid adult carers and young carers have. The pandemic has had a massive impact on the lives of carers, affecting access to services, the ability to juggle work or school with a caring role and much more. This is why it’s more important than ever that carers are aware of what they have the right to.
The Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 came into effect in April 2018 and introduced new rights to all carers in Scotland. These include Adult Carer Support Plans and Young Carer Statements that help carers look at their caring role, how it affects them and what support might be needed. Other support includes local carer strategies, involving carers in the hospital discharge of the person they care for and providing information and advice services for all carers. Visit Aberdeenshire Council’s Carers' Rights and Legislation webpage to find out more.
Aberdeenshire Young Carer Information
There are young carers in primary and secondary schools across Aberdeenshire. A young carer is anyone under the age of 18 (or 18 if still at school) who cares for a family member or friend due to illness, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction.
A caring role can be physical, practical or emotional support. Caring can include cooking, cleaning, shopping, helping with younger siblings, giving medications, helping with dressing or washing, keeping the cared-for person company and reassuring the person when they worry.
Young carers may have been caring for a long time and might not even be aware they are carers. Others may have more recently become young carers or seen an increase in their caring role with changes in circumstances, which has been the case for some carers during the Covid Pandemic.
Caring for a family member can be very rewarding but also hard work. Young carers often have to look after themselves too and can find it hard to keep up with school work, go out with friends and stay healthy. A caring role if unsupported can have a huge impact on a carer’s health, both physically and mentally.
Aberdeenshire Carer Support Service
Quarriers is commissioned to provide a Carer Support Service for Aberdeenshire Young Carers and Adult Carers. Quarriers can help carers look at how their caring role affects them and what support might be needed. Quarriers can also provide support, information and advice, help them have opportunities to meet up with friends and meet other people in caring situations if they want to. For more information and advice, email aberdeenshirecarers@quarriers.org.uk or telephone 01467 538700.
Carer Support Information for Aberdeenshire Young Carers
Further information on young carer (and unpaid adult carer) support is available on the Aberdeenshire Council Caring For Others webpage and the Aberdeenshire GIRFEC young carer website (including the referral form for Quarriers Aberdeenshire Young Carer Support Service).
If you would be interested in displaying leaflets or posters to support young carers, please email carersupport@aberdeenshire.gov.uk or telephone 01467 536677.
Aberdeenshire Young Carer Health and Wellbeing Grant
Young carers in Aberdeenshire can now apply for a Health and Wellbeing Grant to take time out from their caring role and enjoy activities, hobbies or spend time with friends. Young carers can decide what to buy with the grant, as long as it helps to look after their health and wellbeing. The grant is a one-off payment that does not need to be paid back.
To apply for the grant, contact Quarriers Aberdeenshire Carer Support Service on 01467 538700 to ask for help to complete a Young Carer Statement. This will determine if a young carer can apply for the grant or if they would benefit more from an individual budget for ongoing support.
Young Scot Young Carers Package
Young carers aged 11 to 18 can access a nationwide Young Scot package of discounts and opportunities. The Young Carers Package includes discounts at certain stores and leisure venues as well as other opportunities, such as free cinema tickets and CV advice. The aim is to support young carers to make the most of their leisure time, learn and feel more confident.
To find out more about the young carers package and how to access it visit https://young.scot/young-carers The Young Scot website has lots of other useful young carer information, including a Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 Jargon Buster for Young Carers, which explains some of the words and phrases in the Act.
Young Carer Grant
Young carers aged 16 to 18 and living in Scotland, may be eligible for a £300 annual payment to help access life opportunities that are the norm for other young people. The young carer must provide care for an average of 16 hours or more per week and the person/or people being cared for must receive a qualifying benefit. Further information including how to apply can be found at
www.mygov.scot/young-carer-grant
SVQ Qualification for Young Carers
Young carers in Aberdeenshire can undertake a SVQ qualification relating to their caring role. The skills, experience and knowledge a carer has from providing care can be transferred into a SVQ, which is recommended for S3 upwards. For more information visit Aberdeenshire Council’s Carer Training and Qualifications webpage or email carersvq@aberdeenshire.gov.uk There is currently a waiting list for the qualification when the cared-for person is a child, but spaces are available for when the cared-for is an adult.
Quarriers can provide advice on the full range of grant and support options available to adult carers too.
Carers Trust video clips
The Carers Trust has produced a series of video clips with young carers to highlight the issues they experience. The films are aimed at adults who encounter young carers through their work, but give useful insight into lives of carers for everyone.