Last Updated: July 24, 2026
To mark this years’ Young Carers Action Day, Care Choices had the pleasure of speaking with Sienna, aged 16, who is a young carer in Norfolk.
Sienna cares for her mother, who lives with a mental health condition and epilepsy. She is also currently studying for her GCSEs and hopes to become a paramedic in the future. Sienna has been receiving support from Caring Together in Norfolk for the last three years and took time out of her busy schedule to talk to us about her role as a young carer.
Q: Hi Sienna! It’s lovely to be here with you today to talk about all the amazing work you do as a young carer ahead of Young Carers Action Day. We’re hoping that your answers will provide some insight in to the support that is available to young carers who may be feeling overwhelmed in their role or unsure about who they can turn to for help. Firstly, can you tell me a little bit about what it’s like to be a young carer?
A: I’m not going to lie it is stressful. If I had the choice, my Mum wouldn’t be how she is today, but at the same time, it’s who I am. I feel that when I look after my Mum, I know that it’s helping her and even though I know that I’m not going to be able to cure her, I can help her a little bit each day.
Q: Bearing that in mind, how would you say caring for your Mum impacts your life in other areas, like at school or seeing friends?
A: I always feel that if I want to meet up with friends or go out for the weekend, I have to think about how my Mum is going to be supported when I’m not there, especially if I have to organise some external support, or whether she’s going to be okay on her own. I always feel at school as well that I’m constantly on my phone checking for any messages or missed calls. I don’t know whether she’s been up and about, is still in bed or has fallen over even, so that can be a concern.
Q: Do you have someone at school to support you when you get worried?
A: The pastoral team at school are great and they have supported me a lot in the last five years since I’ve been caring for my Mum.
Q: When you start to feel worried about caring, do you have any techniques, coping mechanisms or resources that you can rely on for support?
A: When I’m in school they will allow me to use my phone to message or ring my Mum to make sure that I know she’s safe and well during the day. Outside of school, I always try and tell myself that if I’m not at home, there’s always someone there which means I can have time for myself. It also means that my Mum can have some time with herself as well. I’ve always struggled with knowing that I’m not the only one who looks after Mum, but I’ve got a good support network around me.
Q: Caring Together is clearly having a really positive impact on your life inside and outside of caring for your Mum. Can you tell me about how the organisation has supported you and if there are any other organisations you can recommend to other young carers looking for support?
A: I would definitely recommend the Benjamin Foundation. I was with the foundation before turning to Caring Together. I used to go to a carer support group in Fakenham called Boom, but it stopped due to lack of funding. After this, Eloise from Caring Together approached our group and explained who they were and what they do. After the group stopped, I got in touch with the Holt Youth Action Group and met Eloise there. Since then, I’ve been with Caring Together who have helped me so much and I’m so grateful.
Q: Are you getting involved with any events or activities to mark Young Carers Action Day this year?
A: I know in school they’re going to open up a classroom for young carers and we’re being treated to hot chocolate and biscuits to celebrate. I’ll also be speaking in assemblies at school to explain who I am and what I do.
Q: That’s incredible! Are there a lot of other young carers at your school and do you find it helpful to have other people your age who are going through similar experiences?
A: Yeah definitely. It’s also good to be able to talk about tips and advice that we can learn from each other. Something I would always recommend to other young carers, especially people who may be just starting out is to speak up for yourself and don’t be afraid to ask for help from people around you. Take the support that you are entitled to and don’t shy away.
Q: I think a lot of other young carers in your position absolutely would agree with that, thank you for sharing and it’s been really great to speak with you today, Sienna. Just to round things up, what are the good things about being a young carer?
A: Having the opportunity to spread awareness about what young carers like me do is always a positive experience for me. It’s like I said at the start, if I had a magic wand then I wouldn’t be in the position I am in terms of looking after my Mum, but I feel that because of looking after my Mum, we have such a strong bond and it’s bought us so close together.
