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| Young carers voice their concerns | Young carers voice their concerns |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| By Hayley Rothwell BBC Scotland News website reporter Ten-year-old Karen Reid cares for her mother | By Hayley Rothwell BBC Scotland News website reporter Ten-year-old Karen Reid cares for her mother |
| Children who care for sick and disabled relatives are being given the chance to put their concerns to ministers at Scotland's first Young Carers Festival in West Linton, in the Scottish Borders. | |
| The Scottish Government says it plans to take their views on board when drafting new carers legislation. | The Scottish Government says it plans to take their views on board when drafting new carers legislation. |
| Karen Reid has more responsibilities than your average 10-year-old girl. | Karen Reid has more responsibilities than your average 10-year-old girl. |
| Each day she tries to divide her time between schoolwork, seeing friends and being a carer for her mother Nicola. | Each day she tries to divide her time between schoolwork, seeing friends and being a carer for her mother Nicola. |
| "It's a bit awkward, but at the end of they day I know that I've helped my mum and I feel better," she said. | "It's a bit awkward, but at the end of they day I know that I've helped my mum and I feel better," she said. |
| "I'd rather feel proud of myself than go out sometimes" | "I'd rather feel proud of myself than go out sometimes" |
| Enjoy hobbies | Enjoy hobbies |
| Karen, from Renfrewshire, is one of Scotland's 100,000 young carers. | Karen, from Renfrewshire, is one of Scotland's 100,000 young carers. |
| She was just four when her mum began to show the symptoms of Hypophosphatemia, a rare bone and muscle condition. | She was just four when her mum began to show the symptoms of Hypophosphatemia, a rare bone and muscle condition. |
| Nicola Reid said her daughter was forced to grow up quickly. | Nicola Reid said her daughter was forced to grow up quickly. |
| She said: "It was getting tough for Karen. | She said: "It was getting tough for Karen. |
| "She'd get up in the morning to go to school, to get me up and dressed and she'd have to leave things out for my lunch that I could reach - like she'd leave out a bowl and a spoon and a tin of soup, so I could manage to eat while she wasn't there. | "She'd get up in the morning to go to school, to get me up and dressed and she'd have to leave things out for my lunch that I could reach - like she'd leave out a bowl and a spoon and a tin of soup, so I could manage to eat while she wasn't there. |
| "And then she'd go to school worrying about me, that I wouldn't be able to reach my tablets, I wouldn't be able to get something to eat, and she wouldn't be concentrating on her work." | "And then she'd go to school worrying about me, that I wouldn't be able to reach my tablets, I wouldn't be able to get something to eat, and she wouldn't be concentrating on her work." |
| Nicola now receives 43 hours of care each week from the local council, and while Karen still cares for her at the weekend it leaves her more time to do her homework and enjoy hobbies such as horse riding, acting and darts. | Nicola now receives 43 hours of care each week from the local council, and while Karen still cares for her at the weekend it leaves her more time to do her homework and enjoy hobbies such as horse riding, acting and darts. |
| Karen also attends a regular group set up by the Princess Royal Trust for Carers which allows her to talk to other young people in her position. | Karen also attends a regular group set up by the Princess Royal Trust for Carers which allows her to talk to other young people in her position. |
| Karen struggled to fit in school work with her other responsibilities | Karen struggled to fit in school work with her other responsibilities |
| She said: "Sometimes I can lash out with my anger and it helps, because if I didn't go to the young carers group then I would be really angry." | She said: "Sometimes I can lash out with my anger and it helps, because if I didn't go to the young carers group then I would be really angry." |
| About 3,000 children receive this kind of support. | About 3,000 children receive this kind of support. |
| While Karen is not old enough to attend the Young Carers Festival (which is for children aged 12 and above), she hopes ministers will be persuaded to pledge extra funding for more carers groups. | While Karen is not old enough to attend the Young Carers Festival (which is for children aged 12 and above), she hopes ministers will be persuaded to pledge extra funding for more carers groups. |
| Louise Morgan, Scottish Young Carers development manager at the Princess Royal Trust for Carers, said the children in Karen's position often felt isolated. | Louise Morgan, Scottish Young Carers development manager at the Princess Royal Trust for Carers, said the children in Karen's position often felt isolated. |
| She said: "The majority of young carers receive no help at all, yet they may be carrying out a caring role which even an adult would find onerous. | She said: "The majority of young carers receive no help at all, yet they may be carrying out a caring role which even an adult would find onerous. |
| "Very often they are the only care for a parent with a physical or mental illness. Young carers themselves are twice as likely as their peers to suffer mental health problems." | "Very often they are the only care for a parent with a physical or mental illness. Young carers themselves are twice as likely as their peers to suffer mental health problems." |
| The Young Carers Festival was set up in response to the Scottish Government's Care 21 report which found 62% of young carers had experienced tiredness and 28% had felt depressed as a result of their caring role. | The Young Carers Festival was set up in response to the Scottish Government's Care 21 report which found 62% of young carers had experienced tiredness and 28% had felt depressed as a result of their caring role. |
| Additional funding for young carers was a SNP manifesto commitment. | Additional funding for young carers was a SNP manifesto commitment. |