Leah is 16 and helps care for her younger brother Ben every day. For a long time she did not think of herself as a young carer. Ben, from Cheltenham, has Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD), a rare genetic condition that leaves him open to infections. He needs intensive physiotherapy several times a day, along with a nebuliser to ease his symptoms.
Caring at home
Ben’s condition means the tiny hairs in his nose and the tubes in his ears do not move to clear infections. His mum, Jodie, says the treatments can be needed three or four times a day, especially when he is unwell. Leah, Holly and Tom share the work of helping him, and Jodie says their help is a life saver.
Leah has written poetry about young carers and performed it at the Cheltenham Literature Festival. She says the support she gets from Gloucestershire Young Carers has helped her see that what she does counts as caring, and not just being an older sister.
Finding support
Gloucestershire Young Carers, which is funded by the BBC Children in Need appeal, gives young carers somewhere to meet others in the same position. It also offers activities and breaks from their caring roles. Key worker Rebecca Bryan says many people assume that caring for a sibling or parent is just part of family life, but it can go well beyond what is expected of a young person.
Holly says having a break matters. “When you’re doing it all the time sometimes you get tired of it,” she says, “but having that break means you’re not getting bored of it.”
Get help or refer a young carer
The charity supports young carers aged 8 to 15, and young adult carers aged 16 to 24. Young carers can get support from the charity, and teachers, health workers and others can refer a young carer. The referral page explains how to do this:
- Referral page for young carers and professionals: https://www.glosyoungcarers.org.uk/get-involved/refer-a-young-carer/
- Children in Need appeal night is on Friday 13 November 2026, from 7pm on BBC One. Donations help fund projects like this one.
