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Ava-Grace Britton is a 17-year-old student studying acting at a college in north London. She enjoys socializing with friends and hopes to attend university next year. However, her life differs significantly from that of most young people her age, as she is also a primary carer for her father, Paul. Paul suffered a series of strokes eight years ago that left him with severe mobility and memory issues.
Together with her mother Karen, Ava-Grace takes on numerous caregiving duties. These include monitoring Paul’s blood glucose levels, administering medication, and assisting with household chores and meal preparation. Ava-Grace shared with the BBC, “I worry about him all the time. Before I go to college I help him and most days I have to return home quickly to look after him.” The Brittons’ situation is not unique—census data indicates that approximately 130,000 carers under 18 live in England and Wales, though the Carers Trust estimates that the actual number could be as high as one million young carers, with an additional 500,000 aged between 18 and 25.
Paul’s health challenges began after he contracted sepsis from a thumb injury at work, which triggered the strokes. His condition has been further complicated by diabetes, requiring careful and ongoing management. Due to his deteriorating health, Paul had to stop working as a borehole engineer and now depends entirely on the full-time care provided by Ava-Grace and Karen. Karen runs a charity that supports the elderly and vulnerable through lunch clubs but admits their lives were profoundly changed by Paul’s illness. “It turned our life upside down,” she says. “Paul spent three months in hospital and in rehab. I don’t know how I would cope without Ava-Grace.”
Balancing her role as a caregiver has brought significant sacrifices for Ava-Grace. She explained, “You have to make sacrifices. I can’t do all the things my friends do.” At one point, she was passionate about dance and could have pursued competitive dancing, but the time commitment wasn’t feasible given her caregiving responsibilities. She also faced challenges at school, including bullying, frequent moves, attendance issues due to her duties, and managing her own epilepsy. Reflecting on the future, she said, “I worry about the future. I really want to go to university, but can’t imagine going anywhere too far from home. I know my dad needs me.”
Some support systems are in place for young carers, such as assessments by local councils to evaluate the impact of caring on their health, education, and wellbeing. Andy McGowan, head of young carers at the Carers Trust and a former young carer himself, stated, “When young carers get these it can make a real difference. But it takes many years of caring before they are actually identified. And then the support in place to help is patchy, it really depends on where you live.” He noted that while respite breaks, peer support, and counseling exist, the root issue—the heavy caring burden—is often not adequately addressed. “The threshold to get adult social care from councils to relieve the caring burden is so high, many don’t get help. Until that is addressed, the inequalities young carers face will not be tackled.”
McGowan also pointed out the need for the NHS to expand preventative and early support, particularly in areas linked to substance misuse and mental health, which can influence caregiving responsibilities. “Often young carers are left to fight their own battles for too long—and so school and their own health come second,” he said. Recently, the government announced an action plan for unpaid carers, aiming to provide more support to young carers, including better resources in schools and improved coordination between health, social care, and education services. While other UK regions, like Scotland, offer specific programs such as a young carers’ grant, the government emphasized through a spokesperson its commitment to building a care system that recognises and supports young carers.
For families like the Brittons, increased support is urgently needed. Karen expressed her concerns about the toll caregiving takes on Ava-Grace: “She has had to grow up very quickly – that has had benefits, she is calmer and more mature than many girls her age and she has a real strength about her. But Ava-Grace and others like her need more help and understanding.
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
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