Round the clock with Lauren

The Children’s Society

Lauren’s day looks a lot like your Mum’s might...

But she’s only 14.

She looks after her Mum, her three younger sisters, and herself because her Mum isn’t well...

Round the clock with Lauren

6:00-7:00

• Wake up.• Get washed and dressed.• Get ready for school.

7:00-8:00

• Wake up my youngest sister Brooke (she’s 5). • Get Brooke washed, dressed and ready for

school.• Shout up to my other sisters, Georgia (12) and

Chelsea (10) to get ready.• Make Mum a cup of coffee and take that and

her tablets up to her.• Turn on the TV for my sisters until they leave

for school.

8:00-9:00

• My sisters leave for school one at a time.• I walk to school.• I think about my Mum on the way, and hope

she will be ok while I’m at school.

9:00-3:30

At school• I try to concentrate on my lessons but it’s hard• I’m worried about my Mum and text her

several times to see how she is• I’m getting behind on my schoolwork and

people aren’t always nice to me.

3:30-8:30

• On the way home from school I pick up my sister Brooke.

• I get her changed then she plays outside while I clean and tidy the house, and make dinner for everyone.

• Everyone needs to be fed and then put into their pyjamas.

• Brooke goes to bed at 6:30, Chelsea at 7:30 and Georgia at 8:30.

8:30 - ???

• Once everyone else is in bed and asleep I can do my homework.

• I have a bath and go to bed.

But on Mondays...

“I get to go to Basingstoke Young Carers from 6pm-8pm – I have my own time to myself and I really want to say thank you to everybody there for the time off. I also have time off on Saturday and Sunday because my grandma and granddad let us stay for the weekend. It’s nice there and we have a laugh.”

I do love my family but...

Caring for them is really tiring and difficult.

Giving young carers time off

• Life is hard for young carers like Lauren.• But The Children’s Society helps them by

running clubs and sending some of them to the Summer Festival.

Photo: Max Alexander

but rest, fun and a chance to talk to other young carers makes a big difference.Photo: Max Alexander

Caring round the clock is hard...