Impact of Covid-19 pandemic on mental health of young carers in Scotland 'very concerning'
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A SNAPSHOT of how coronavirus has affected young carers across Scotland has revealed an "extremely concerning" impact on their mental health and sparked a call for greater support.
Results of a Carers Trust Scotland survey published today point to a steep decline in the mental health and wellbeing of young people who provide unpaid care at home for family members or friends.
It is the first of its kind to provide a base of evidence for how worries relating to coronavirus and increased isolation caused by the lockdown has affected the wellbeing of young people with caring responsibilities.
It is part of a larger UK-wide survey which questioned carers aged from 12 to 25.
Even before the outbreak of coronavirus, young carers and young adult carers were all too often spending significant amounts of time caring for a relative in addition to the time they needed to spend on education, work and time for themselves.
"It’s clear that the pandemic has made what was already a very worrying picture for young carers in Scotland far, far worse."
Coronavirus has significantly increased those pressures according to the survey which found that one in 10 had seen the number of hours they spend caring per week increase by 30 hours.
A similar proportion of young adult carers said that they are now spending over 90 hours a week caring for a family member or friend.
Asked what difference coronavirus had made to them, almost 60 per cent of young carers in Scotland said their education was suffering and almost half said their mental health had worsened.
Responding to the findings director of Scotland and Northern Ireland at Carers Trust, Louise Morgan, said: “This is the first snapshot of how coronavirus is affecting thousands of young people with caring responsibilities across Scotland. And the results are extremely concerning. It’s clear that the pandemic has made what was already a very worrying picture for young carers in Scotland far, far worse. That’s why we are calling for more support and more services to ensure that young people with caring responsibilities get the support they need.”
Carers Trust works to improve support, services and recognition for anyone living with the challenges of caring, unpaid, for a family member or friend who is ill, frail, disabled or has mental health or addiction problems.
Key findings from the survey:
Almost 70 per cent per cent of young carers and 76 per cent of young adult carers in Scotland who responded to the survey felt less able to stay in touch with friends since coronavirus.
More than 70 per cent said they are feeling less connected to others since coronavirus.
A similar proportion are feeling more stressed since coronavirus.
Some 56 per cent of respondents tare feeling overwhelmed by the pressures they are facing now.
Voices from the survey
“It’s made it harder. I don’t get any respite, no time away or family support.” (Twelve-year-old female carer)
“Coronavirus has made it harder to get a break from my caring role and has made me feel more unsafe at home” (14 year-old-female carer)
“Has made me more anxious, lost, unconnected, unsure and very sad that we can't hug our dad, nana, aunts/uncles, cousins and friends. Future so uncertain.” (15-year-old female carer)
“I’m stressed with having to care and take care of myself as well as struggling to sleep” (17-year-old male carer)
“I feel as if it has made it more difficult to care for my father as I have been unable to take care of myself properly” (18-year-old male carer)
“I have no help or support whatsoever now - I’m caring 24/7 and I’m exhausted and mentally drained. My young carers service is closing before lockdown ends so I now won’t have any support and I don’t know how I’m going to cope” (22-year-old female carer)
“It has made my caring role more pronounced/taken away other outlets of my life such as study. It has made me feel more isolated from my friends who don't have caring responsibilities.” (24-year-old female carer).
