Discover and Unwind: Football and multisport sessions for Young Carers

Here at Surrey FA we have launched our Young Carers Outreach programme, alongside 'Action for Carers', which consists of free educational sessions to Young Carers aged 5-15 from across Surrey. Combining football and classroom activities to engage both the physical and educational needs for participants, sessions last 1 and half to 3 hours and take place on a monthly basis. These sessions provide a safe space to both have fun and relax, providing young carers time away from stress and caring responsibilities. 

What is a Young Carer? 

A young carer is a child who has or had any level of caring responsibility for a nearby person such as a relative or a friend with a disability, illness, mental health condition, drug, or alcohol problem. This is a common question that we face from parents as they are unsure if their child qualifies as a young carer perhaps due to the level of responsibility not being significant in their eyes or unsure what qualifies as caring. It’s important to recognise that all contributions no matter how small count towards care responsibility.  This is what it can look like: 

Practical tasks, such as cooking, housework, and shopping
Physical care, like helping someone out of bed
Emotional support, including talking to someone who is distressed
Personal care, such as helping someone dress
Managing the family budget and collecting prescriptions
Helping to give medicine
Helping someone communicate
Looking after brothers and sisters