CHILDREN who look after relatives could get help and recognition for the first time in Okehampton thanks to a charity?s attempt to set up a young carers? group. The Rotary Club of Okehampton has launched a poster campaign in schools across the catchment area to identify children who are having to look after someone who is ill, disabled, elderly, experiencing mental distress or substance abuse, or who have substantial responsibility for caring for a sibling. John Stevens, chairman of Okehampton Rotary?s Community Committee, said: ?Trying to identify young carers is very difficult.? He said they were usually school children but may be up to 18 years old. ?Usually, they are unsung and unknown, and often don?t know they are young carers themselves,? he said. ?What we are trying to do is to identify who they are and what their needs are.? The Rotary Club hopes to offer the children breaks from what they are doing, and champion their cause, lobbying for greater recognition from government and the community. Mr Stevens said many children of primary school age would be carers in the area, and urged them to call him on 01837 53000, or Rotary president Kay Bickley on 01837 53743. It has been estimated that there are 175,000 young carers in the UK. Last week, the government promised action after a study by the charity Carers UK revealed that the unpaid work of carers saved the taxpayer a staggering £87-billion a year ? more than the entire NHS budget and four times what local authorities spend on social care services.
