• Household tasks – cooking, cleaning, shopping
• Physical care – helping someone move around
• Emotional support – listening and being there for someone who’s struggling
• Personal care – helping someone wash or dress
• Medical tasks – collecting prescriptions, giving medicine
• Managing things at home – like paying bills or handling appointments
• Looking after siblings – including school runs or babysitting

Support is available for Young Adult Carers at Sparsholt, here at Sparsholt College we have dedicated staff members who are there for your young person throughout their time at college. Please talk to the Wellbeing team to find out more – wellbeingsparsholt@sparsholt.ac.uk

Balancing caring responsibilities with studies can be tough. Help might be needed with:

• Managing time and deadlines for coursework
• Looking after wellbeing
• Financial pressures
• Having someone to talk to who understands

If you think your young person may be a Young Adult Carer but you haven’t let us know yet, that’s okay — it’s never too late. Please reach out to the Wellbeing Team so we can support them. Even a quick chat can make a big difference – wellbeingsparsholt@sparsholt.ac.uk

They can record it confidentially on your young person’s medical notes and offer support that’s tailored to your situation.

By registering as a Young Adult Carer, the GP may be able to:

• Help explain medical conditions or treatments for the person they care for
• Tell them about NHS services available to them and their family
• Signpost them to other helpful organisations and support
• Offer home visits if the person they care for can’t get to the surgery
• Try to arrange appointments for both of you at the same time
• Set up repeat prescriptions to be delivered to your local pharmacy (if available)

Young Adult Carer’s under 18, have rights.

Starting college may change how Young Adult Carers are able to support your family. You can ask for a Young Carer’s Assessment to review what help you and your family may now need. It’s a great way to make sure education, wellbeing, and goals are taken into account.

Learn more here: Being a young carer: your rights – NHS

Young Carers over 18 can ask for a Carer’s Assessment through your local council. This helps identify what support or services could make life easier for them — at college and beyond.

More info here: Carer’s assessments – NHS

If your young person is a recognised carer (providing at least 35 hours of unpaid care per week), they might qualify for Carer’s Allowance or Carer’s Credit. But their college course can affect this.

Important points to know:

• Young Adult Carers can only study up to 21 hours a week (this includes class time and independent study) if they are receiving Carer’s Allowance.
• Full-time students usually aren’t eligible for Carer’s Allowance.
• If Young Adult Carers already receive Carer’s Allowance, they will need to tell Jobcentre Plus once they enrol in full-time study — otherwise, they could face overpayments.
• Some other benefits might also be affected by studying full time

Check here for more info: Full-time students and benefits – Turn2Us

And find more government guidance here: Carer’s Allowance – GOV.UK

This is an online tool which is designed to help support people caring for someone; it aims to make it a little easier to coordinate care provision and communicate with those who share the responsibilities. Young Adult Carers may find this beneficial when trying to balance their caring responsibilities alongside studies.

Find out more here.