Young carers

All Young Carers have the right to a Young Carers Statement as outlined in the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016. It helps Young Carers to work out how caring responsibilities affect their life and plan how they can ensure their personal goals are met. 

Benefits of having a Young Carers Statement

The Young Carers Statement will help you to voice your feelings and needs about what it is like for you to be a Young Carer. Having one will make sure that you are listened to, especially about decisions that affect you. It will help you work out what help you need and then plan to get you the right help from the right people.

The Young Carer’s Statement will help you to recognise your:

• strengths
• skills
• qualities
• personal goals

Someone from the Young Carers Service or another trusted adult can help you prepare your Statement. It is important that you understand all the information in your statement and it is the job of the person who prepares it with you to explain it to you. Just because you are a Young Carer does not mean that you have to have a Young Carers Statement. If you don’t want one, it is your choice. If you decide that you would like a Young Carers Statement and then change your mind, you have the right to ask for it to be removed. You can also decide when it should be reviewed.