Teen backs charity's campaign urging more support for young carers

Marisa Olusemo was only 15 when she began caring for mum Jacqueline and she felt "overlooked" by healthcare professionals.

Jacqueline was discharged from hospital after having her leg amputated following diabetes complications.

Marisa said: “I would accompany my mum to GP appointments, but none of this prompted any questions or checks from the professionals.

“As a result, my mental health really suffered. I started to have anxiety attacks and my schoolwork became worse. I have now also developed a strong phobia of hospitals.

“Some of that impact could have been avoided if support had been in place for me from the start.”

Marisa, now 18, was referred to charity Barnardo's and its young carers' service, run in partnership with Redbridge Council, in 2018 by her school.

She is now backing the charity's campaign to amend the government's Health and Care Bill, which it says may see more vulnerable children caring for seriously ill adults.

L-R: Barnardo’s vice-president Bruce Oldfield, Barnardo’s ambassador Heather Small, Marisa and (front) mum Jacqueline Olusemo (Image: Piers Allardyce)

The charity claims the proposed changes remove a requirement for the NHS to consult a patient's carer before discharge, something Barnardo's calls "a vital safeguard" for carers.

Barnardo's interim co-chief executive Lynn Perry MBE said: “Adults with extremely complex health and care needs are already being discharged from hospital into the care of children. This is only set to get worse if the changes in the Health and Care Bill come into effect.

“Caring for loved ones is something that many young carers are incredibly proud to do but children must never be expected to shoulder the burden of care for their family members on their own.

"As a society we must protect children from taking on too much responsibility at a young age and from sacrificing their education or physical and mental health.

“Parliament must recognise the needs of children in the Health and Care Bill and ensure young carers can be identified by healthcare professionals and supported by local authorities.”

But a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care denied that the bill would lead to patients being discharged without appropriate support in place.

They said: “Everyone should receive the care and support they need in the right place, at the right time, meaning no patient should be discharged until it is safe to do so.

“If families and carers need interim support from health and care services, this should be identified at discharge and appropriate support should be put in place before they are discharged home.”

In Marisa's case, she said the support from Barnardo's "made a big difference".

She is now studying music at university and met her favourite pop star Billie Eilish in 2020 while on Capital FM discussing life as a young carer.

But it makes her "really sad" there could be many other youngsters not getting enough support.

Marisa added: "Without help it can really affect your mental health and be such an isolating, ongoing thing to deal with."

Her advice to other young carers in a similar situation to her is to talk to family, friends or someone at school.

"When I was upset, I wasn’t telling my family or my friends, and that’s what led to my mental breakdown.

"When I finally told someone it was like a weight being lifted off my shoulder.

"The support I have received from Barnardo’s has made a big difference to my life. I am now at university studying music and would like to help the next generation of young carers out there.”

The Health and Care Bill is now passing through the House of Lords, which will debate its contents before it can be put into law.

Barnardo's hopes peers will support an amendment that would introduce a requirement on NHS bodies to inform the local authority where any new or existing young carer lives to ensure they are given the right support.