Sometimes it's hard...
Most people want to help a parent, brother, sister or other family member when they can't do things for themselves, like shopping, cooking, checking their medicine, helping with washing or dressing and walking around, and talking to them and listening. But sometimes it's hard.

It can take up a lot of your time, and stop you from seeing your friends or doing the things like going to the cinema or playing a sport. It might even make you tired at school or college. 

This means that as a young carer you may feel isolated from your peers because of your caring duties. You may not have the time to spend with them and rely on social media to chat with your friends. And unfortunately research shows that this makes young carers more vulnerable to being cyberbullied.

For more about cyberbullying and keeping safe online, check out our Life Online section.

For information on your choices about caring and young carers' rights, take a look at the NHS guide.

Get help and support from Suffolk Family Carers

They offer all young carers information and support to help make their lives better. They also run groups in Ipswich, Bury and Lowestoft so that you can meet with other young carers.

To find out more call the Suffolk Young Carers helpline on 01473 835430.

Visit the Young Carers Unlimited website

Register with Young Carers Unlimited to keep up to date with news and opportunities, or just take a look at the site for information and advice about caring and find out what's available near you.

One of the things you can find out about is the Max Card - a discount card for young carers and their families for loads of venues and days out.

If you register with Young Carers Unlimited, you can also do a self-assessment of your caring role so that your needs can be understood and Young Carers Unlimited can make sure you receive the right kind of support.

You can get help and support from both Suffolk Family Carers and Young Carers Unlimited, and make use of both websites and services.

Babble - an online community for young carers

Check out Babble, an online community just for young carers under the age of 18. Babble runs regular live chats and is a safe space to chat online with other young carers from across the UK.

Visit Babble: https://babble.carers.org/