Alicia Jones’s mother has suffered with mental illness for the past 5 years, during which time 17-year-old Alicia has helped care for her.
She lives with her mum, 42, who wishes to remain anonymous, in Thurrock, Essex. Alicia’s mother has recently began a recovery process, which means her daughter’s caring responsibilities have lessened over the recent year. When Alicia was caring full time for her mother, she had to ensure she had taken her medications in the morning before heading to school.
“It’s my mum’s daily ritual to make a hot chocolate in the morning. That was our breakfast. Then I used to cook dinner every evening.”
While Alicia was full-time caring back in 2018 it began to take a toll on her in ways she didn’t understand at first.
“I just didn’t really understand why my brain was doing the things it was. I was angry all of the time, I didn’t really take time to socialise with any of my friends. I didn’t see it as my mental health until it was too late.”
Alicia was almost excluded from her school in her final year. She would turn up at school, go to her lessons but walk out half way through.
“I used to just walk around the school, and no one picked up on it. The teachers didn’t seem to notice, or care. I was called back of course, sent to the head master but I carried on anyway. I don’t remember much of Year 11, that’s how bad my mental health was.”
A survey of 300 young carers carried out in 2017 by Carers Trust showed that 73 percent took time off learning. While a third admitted to skipping school most weeks. More than half admitted to having problems with school work.
“I was eventually identified by a newly qualified teacher.” says Alicia “However, she wasn’t taken seriously until a few months later. I feel because I went to school in a non deprived area they didn’t think they had students ‘like me’ as they worded it. Every student had good attendance, worked hard and got on with school. I don’t think they ever took into consideration that some students may be suffering.”
After Alicia was eventually identified as being in need, and a young carer. Thurrock Youth Services suggested that she joined the Youth Cabinet in order to make a difference. A Youth Cabinet consists of a group aged 11-19 that aim to make a better place for young people. The members regularly meet up with councillors, council officers and other decision makers to give their views on a range of topics.
“When I first found out I was a Young Carer, I was like, I want to reach out, so that people have someone to turn to. I never had anyone to turn to myself.”
A research report from Carers Trust (2015) shows that 89% of young carers under 24 years old have said that they experienced feeling lonely or socially isolated as a result of their role.
“After three years of grafting, I eventually became a Member of Youth Parliament. This is a national run group in the government that looks at carer’s priorities and needs, and ensures that they are delivered. I am the young carer representative on the ministerial steering group for carers. I have also done a few panels and events, and been invited to attend the International Young Carers Conference in November this year.”
UK Youth Parliament is ‘run by young people, for young people’. It provides an opportunity for youth to use their voice to bring about social change, for example, they have recently launched a campaign to end knife crime within young gangs. Any UK resident aged 11-18 is able to stand for election as a Member of Youth Parliament, and vote for who they want.
To get to the stage of becoming a member of Youth Parliament, Alicia attended events as a Youth Representative. She also sat on discussion groups, and became a EU youth dialogue ambassador. With this, she helped set up the #iwillchampion scheme on twitter.
For Alicia this means that if there are any issues, or something that another young carer thinks can help, her job is to raise the question and ensure that things are then changed, or something is being put in place.
“I want to work in policy for the rest of my life, and if it was in Young Carer Policy, that would be a dream. The reality is to be an advocate and a sessional worker on my local young carers project.”
A sessional worker works within their local young carers project. They run sessions for young carers as respite activities, and can also be trained for one-on-one work with the carers.
Alicia offers a bit of advice to those who could be in the same position that she was:
“Never let others tell you it’s not possible, don’t let them crush your dreams. Give it time and patience and one day you’ll reach the stars.”
Young Carers Community 