Tim is 12 years old. He cares for his mum and 3 younger sibling’s.
Family Action first learnt about Tim when his school got in touch. They were concerned about the impact his caring responsibilities were having on his schooling.
His attendance was poor, and when he did make it in, he was late, tired and couldn’t concentrate. His mood was constantly changing, and he had become exhausted, angry and unhappy.
It transpired that Tim’s mother was suffering with depression and anxiety, following the death of her disabled brother and a recent separation from her husband.
Tim’s mother dealt with this by shutting down and withdrawing into herself, which subsequently meant that she wasn’t keeping up with daily routines for the children, nor was she keeping up with rent, meaning she was at risk of losing their home.
12 year old Tim had taken on the adult responsibilities that his mother couldn’t cope with, including doing the shopping and all of the cooking. He was also doing the housework, and preparing and getting his siblings, as well as himself, to school.
A Family Action Support Worker visited Tim’s family at home – his mother engaged with the service straight away, exclaiming that she had longed for this type of support for a long time. Family Action identified the support network Tim’s mum needed, to ensure Tim wasn’t having to take on parental responsibilities at such a young age.
Tim’s dad is now supporting with the school run, and has Tim and his siblings to stay two days a week. His grandmother is helping with the shopping until Tim’s mum is able to take up the tasks.
Tim attends our Young Carers drop-in service twice a week at, and he participates in holiday activities to get to meet other children living with similar caring responsibilities.
The school have noticed a hugely positive change in Tim’s self-confidence, commenting on his improved attendance, academic achievements and more confident social skills.
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