LEILA Ahmed has the traits you might expect in a 11-year-old girl. She enjoys playing out with her friends and talks enthusiastically about a recent trip to Flamingo Land.
But Leila is also exceptionally thoughtful for someone her age, a trait likely to have been developed by her role as a young carer, looking after her mother and younger sister, who both have disabilities.
The Poppleton Road Primary School year six pupil regularly helps out at the home she shares with her three siblings, helping with the cleaning and putting the bins out, keeping an eye on her little sister and walking the dog.
Leila with Liz Roberts from the York Carers Centre
It's a caring attitude which comes naturally to Leila, who says she wants to be a doctor when she grows up.
"I quite like helping," Leila said, "It would be boring if I didn't do anything."
Leila's mum Annoula's health problems were triggered when she had a stroke in 2010, which led to a build up of fluid on the brain, sight problems and the diagnosis of a separate brain and spinal condition.
The 34-year-old is supported by a carer and her partner and she said they all try to protect Leila from too much responsibility, but that her daughter's help makes a big difference.
Leila also keeps a close eye on her six-year-old sister Elina who has Cerebral Palsy, alerting her mum if Elina is not well at night time.
"I'm really proud of her," Annoula said, "You always wish they didn't have to be in that position but she has always been very grown up so she automatically took on the role.
"I'm so proud of how she keeps up with school and her work and she is so clever."
Recent trips for young carers have included one to Flamingo Land
Leila is one of 150 young carers aged between eight and 18 who are members of the Young Carers Service at York Carer's Centre.
Leila's group meets twice a month as a youth club and goes on trips out - most recently visiting Flamingo Land.
It's an important support for her, Leila says. "I like coming to young carers because I like knowing there's other people that do the same things," she said.
To mark National Carers week, City of York Council urged the other children and young people who care for family members to come forward to get the support other young carers say is so important to them.
The 2011 Census statistics revealed that there are just over 166,000 young carers in England, but research reveals that this is just the tip of the iceberg.
The true figure could be closer to 700,000 young carers in England, equivalent to one in 12 school children, many of whom are unrecognised and unsupported.
Recent research carried out by Carers Trust and The Children's Society shows that, on average, young carers miss or cut short 48 school days a year and often have lower levels of self-confidence, mental wellbeing and significantly lower educational attainment at GCSE level, because of their caring role.
Ofsted's School Inspection Handbook describes young carers as a particularly vulnerable group of pupils that schools should support.
Liz Roberts, senior young carer worker at York Carers’ Centre, said: “Schools play a vital role in a young carer’s life, but many care for relatives without their teachers even knowing what they do.
"On average young carers will miss half a day of school each fortnight as a result of their caring role, so the steps schools take to identify and support them can have a huge impact on their learning, wellbeing and life chances.”
Judy Kent, head of the Children’s Trust at City of York Council, said: “From census data, we believe that there are many more young carers unknown to us in York.
"Many may be struggling with their responsibilities and feeling isolated. We want to encourage more young carers to come forward so we can offer them the support that those we work with tell us is so important. We aren’t going to judge or preach, but we will listen and give them as much support as we can.”
An informal poll with York's young carers found they particularly value the opportunities to talk about their caring role with understanding listeners – such as at York Carers Centre – and they appreciate the support they get to help them move from children's to adults' service, such as when applying for universities. They say they also enjoy the LAFFS (laughs, advice, fun, friendship and support) youth groups, run for young carers.
For more information about York Carers' Centre, phone 01904 715490 or email enquiries@yorkcarerscentre.co.uk
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