	CARERS of WEST LOTHIAN Providing Support, Information and a A Voice for Carers in West Lothian

West Lothian Young Carers Launch Website: www.wl-yc.com

A group of young carers from West Lothian has produced a website for young carers to enable them to access local information, support and services. The website, www.wl-yc.com, was launched at The Princess Royal Trust Carers Of West Lothian Carers' Centre in Broxburn on Friday 17th June at 3pm.

As well as providing information to young carers on how to get help locally, www.wl-yc.com provides information about what a young carer is, where they can get help, events at the local Young Carers Project, links to other information centres, getting help with homework, accessing music and games and lots of other things that young carers want to know about.

Pictured (L to R) David Balfour, Jordan McSherry, Lindsey Murray, Alan Boyd, Fiona Hyslop MSP and Mary Mulligan MSP

The five young carers who put the site together are aged between 13 and 16 years old and were assisted by website design company, Bagelfish Design. In designing the website, Alan, David, Jordan, Lindsey and Johnny used their own experience of caring and their own knowledge of what information was most helpful to them as young carers.

The young carers' spokesperson is David, who says,

"It was really good fun working on it and it's a good site that includes lots of stuff from top music and games to various information around young carers' issues. If you are a young carer, it shows you how to get in contact with a worker in West Lothian."

"The young carers' group and the support is great! It gives me the chance to go places I had never been before, meet new friends from allover and I get to eat whatever I want!"

Lindsey Murray, Alan Boyd
David Balfour and Jordan McSherry

The young carers are supported by the Young Carers Partnership Project which is a joint initiative of West Lothian Council and Carers of West Lothian. The Project is funded by the Changing Children's Services Fund for three years and provides individual and group support as well as trips and events where young carers can have fun.

The Census 2001 indicated that there are 354 young carers in West Lothian but more recent local research indicates that there are probably as many as 2000! The Young Carers Partnership has already supported 125 children and young people but more funds are urgently needed to help more young carers to get the support and services which are crucial to their future health and wellbeing.

Wilma Philpot, Young Carers Development Worker says,

"Young carers are underpinning our society at great personal cost to their physical and mental health, their education and their future. 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."

"A child is often the main carer for a parent with a physical or mental illness. Young carers, who can be as young as primary school age, often cook, clean the house, do the shopping and supervise medication. They can even be responsible for the personal care of a parent and may take control of the family budget."

It is hoped that young people all over West Lothian will access www.wl-yc.com from school, from home or from friends' houses to find out about caring and, if they are a carer themselves, to find out how and where to get help.

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