Charity ad reaches out to carers

A television advertising campaign has been launched to raise awareness of the support available to young carers.

About 100,000 young people in Scotland look after parents or adults who are ill, addicted to drugs or who drink.

The Action for Children charity has launched a campaign to show the youngsters they are not alone.

The Scottish Government said it was aware of the scale of the problem and claimed it had allocated £13m to help young carers.

The advert will be screened nationally from New Year's Day.

The Scottish broadcast will feature the story of Nicola King, from Shotts in Lanarkshire, who, at the age of eight, became the main carer for her mother who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

In the ad she explains: "I had to look after her, help her to bed, help her to get up, help her get dressed and get her bathed.

"I had to change the catheter bag, clean her if she didn't make it to the toilet and things like that.

"I had struggled, I didn't know how to talk to my peers because I didn't have time for fun and games.

"It was Action for Children that helped me and from then I became a totally different person. I've been able to recapture some of my youth and be a normal child."

Nicola, who is now 24, was supported by the charity from the age of 11.

She said that through the organisation she met other young carers, was able to go on outings and secure greater help for her mother.

Nicola added: "To meet other young carers was great. I didn't feel alone anymore."

She now works part-time for the charity's Lanarkshire Young Carers project.

Andrew Girvan, from Action for Children in Scotland, said: "The levels of responsibility sometimes heaped on the shoulders of young carers is inordinate.

"The charity gives them a lifeline, a link to the external community, a chance to enjoy their childhood again."

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