Young carers' (channel4) location

Did anybody see the Channel 4 programme about young carers last night? I think those of us who have acted as carers in the past will feel sympathy for the young children who have to arrange their lives around looking after their parents.
It was nice to see that the young carers are given occasional holiday breaks and I was particularly intrigued by the beautiful location of one of these that was shown...beautiful lush green rolling countryside and an old-fashioned windmill in sight. Does anybody know where this place is?

 

I didn't see it, JbtH. I worked as a volunteer for a year, helping carers by doing their gardens, and befriending them and their families, and some of those were youngsters. I don't think we as a society do enough to help them.

While I was still teaching there was a really nasty case where a young carer, a boy of about 14 years old was found one morning having taken an overdose of his mother's painkillers. There's not a lot you can do when all his friends at school are bursting into tears all over the place - what are you supposed to do - insist they al sit down, take their books out and turn to page 22?

 

You're absolutely right about the responsibilty of society, dendrobium. The fact that young people are being used as unpaid labour to look after family-members in this day and age is scandalous. Personally I think that government should make sure that its own house is in order before acting as Lady Bountiful to the rest of the world, but I'm being controversial and this website is too pleasant for that!
What was shown in the channel4 programme was, I thought, verging on child-abuse and I believe there have been a number of complaints to authority about one of the cases in particular.

 

It's a very difficult situation, JbtH. The children involved are not in a position to get help for themselves - they're lucky if there happens to be a charity to help them in their area, but most get no help at all. Very often they have problems at school too, as they are often absent, far too tired to work, or don't really care, as they're really only there because they have to be, or because it's the only respite they get....

With a bit of luck this programme might have brought the issue to the attention of those who need to know. Fingers crossed.

 

I did see this programme and was quite appalled at the blind couple who didn't seem to do anything other than smoke and have more children.

One of the daughters (young carer) tried to commit suiside when she was 8 I think it was.

I thought such a shame that this situation was being "allowed", hopefully some of the issues have been bought to tha attention of the authorities.

When your blind does that mean you can't change nappies?! I don't think so...