Losing both Mum and Dad this year has left a huge hole in the lives of our family.  Our solace at this very sad time comes from the fact that my brother and I enjoyed over 40 wonderful years with Mum and Dad.  Although they didn’t have a lot of money, Mum and Dad protected, sheltered and nurtured us, and brought warmth and happiness into our home, which meant we rarely wanted for anything.  We weren’t always appreciative of how lucky we were, and only when raising our own children, did the sacrifices that Mum and Dad make became truly apparent. In loving memory of Mum and Dad, we would like to raise money for children who have not been as fortunate as ourselves during childhood.

BOLTON LADS AND GIRLS CLUB is a Children and Young Persons charity which has been helping young people with their every need, for 130 years – ranging from mental health support to sexual exploitation and everything in between.  One of the projects at the Club is their Young Carers service, which helps young people cope with the impact that being a Young Carer can have on them.

Young Carers, often still children themselves, take on the role of an adult at home alongside school and homework, helping to care for a family member with a physical illness/disability, mental health condition or suffering from addiction.  Children with an average age of 12, but as young as 5, find themselves administering medication, assisting with personal care and completing household chores.  They often miss school, experience educational difficulties, feel alone/isolated when they do attend school, and a high percentage experiencing bullying.  The time they invest into caring means they miss out on time with their peers and their childhood.  Subsequently, their own mental health and wellbeing is directly affected, often experiencing emotional trauma, depression and low self-esteem.

At the Club, Young Carers are supported through 1-1 and group work, giving them the chance to feel heard, to engage with others going through similar circumstances and to help them feel as though they are not on their own. Bolton Lads and Girls Club have 40 amazing Young Carers, and some of them have no access to technology, i.e. no tablet/laptop or wi-fi. Under the current climate, they are completely isolated and cannot speak to peers or access the Club’s virtual sessions.

I am aiming to raise enough money to purchase tablets and a preloaded dongle with wi-fi to these Young Carers. As well as being a wonderful Christmas present, this would be life-changing for some of our Young Carers.

The case study below is for just one of the several children that we have highlighted that would really benefit from your support.  

The more money is raised, the more Young Carers we can purchase a tablet for.  Thank you for your time :)

H is 8, she was referred to the Young Carers Service for support in July 2019. H was experiencing low mood and anxiety and would often talk about her love for her belated Father.  H has two brothers; Brother B is open to a Disability Social Worker who referred H to the Young Carers Service.       

When the Young Carers Team Leader met H, H told her that she had been worrying a lot and spoke about often waking up in the night, thinking about her caring responsibilities.   She explained that she often felt left out of the family dynamics and it was very hard to get attention from Mum. She also said she felt isolated from her friends and felt like she was all on her own.  The worker spent time getting to know H and building a relationship with her.  In completing a Young Carers Assessment, it was established that H had a high-level caring role.

At Christmas 2019, H at the age of 8, attempted to take her own life.

The Social Worker referred H to CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) for support alongside the support from the Young Carers Service.  In early March 2020, schools closed due to COVID19, and the worker conducted weekly doorstep welfare visits to support H and her family.  However, H’s mental health further declined, and she would use unwanted behaviours to attract attention.  As this became problematic within the family home, it was clear that further interventions were necessary. H felt more isolated and alone than ever. 

The worker used interventions with H which helped to promote relaxation and helped to formulate de-stressing strategies. They discussed the importance of sleep, and identified and tapped into things that were a source of enjoyment for H, and in particular her creative abilities. H enjoys being creative, and this and other enjoyment activities gave her a break from her caring role and promoted positive wellbeing. 

The worker has been supporting H for over a year now, H feels she is benefitting from having someone to talk to on a weekly basis. The worker also referred H to the club’s Bereavement Service, and H was able to open up and speak about her worries and her Dad’s passing 18 months ago.  School have reported that since starting the Young Carers Service, H has been presenting better in school and have noted a marked difference in her behaviour and wellbeing. The worker will resume support sessions in school once restrictions for COVID19 ease, meanwhile H engages over the phone as this is currently the only method of contact available for H, who has access to no technology at this moment.  

Thanking you in advance for any support you can provide to our cause.  

Vinai, Pradip, Urvashi and the girls