Calls for cards to give benefits to young carers in Hartlepool

Calls have been made for a discount card offering benefits for young carers in Hartlepool.
Christine Fewster from Hartlepool Carers.Christine Fewster from Hartlepool Carers.
Christine Fewster from Hartlepool Carers.

Councillors on the Hartlepool Borough Council audit and governance committee praised carers after a visit to see the work they carry out.

They were hailed as ‘an amazing group of people’ and councillors said they need to be commended for their work.

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Bosses at Hartlepool Carers said they had been looking at a ‘young carers card’ but added support needs to come from multiple organisations.

Christine Fewster, chief executive of Hartlepool Carers, said: “One of the things we’re looking to implement in Hartlepool is a young carers card.

“It’s one of the things I really want to work on but don’t think I can do it alone, we’d need to get bus companies on board and get schools on board.

“It would allow us to get this card established to identify young carers which will then hopefully reduce pressures such as on transport and give other potential reductions, you could look at access to leisure facilities.

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“There’s lots of potential opportunities but I feel like we need to get lots of people round the table.”

She also added supporting carers with their mental health was high on their agenda.

She added the service has had a 175% increase in referrals from last January to this year, a rise from 24 registered carers of all ages to 66.

Coun Jim Lindridge and Coun Lesley Hamilton went to see the people involved at Hartlepool Carers and praised the work carried out.

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Coun Lindridge said: “I think it’s an absolutely fantastic service, I felt a little bit humbled.

“It’s about that young person doing that work because they want to and they loved it.

“It’s unbelievable the pressures that they are under and yet the enthusiasm and the energy that they were putting in, I’m absolutely in awe of the service that they provide.

“It’s imperative that we support these young people because without that the demand on the NHS and health service would be 100 fold, I’ve got nothing but praise.”

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Coun Hamilton said: “What was surprising for me was the number of children who access the service who don’t see themselves as carers.

“To praise the staff and young carers, there are not enough words.

“For the number of children who are young carers in this town and who are saving this council and society on the whole many, many thousands of pounds a year we need to really take a look at this.

“If they want these children to be carers or adults to be carers they need to invest in it properly to ensure they are still allowed to be children while they are caring for their loved ones and the same applies to older people.

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“Thank our lucky stars we’ve got so many carers in this town alone but there is more that should be done.

“Hartlepool Carers are an amazing group of people who do fantastic work.”

Nic Marko , Local Democracy Reporting Service