'I didn't realise I was a young carer until my late teens — then felt I had to keep it a secret'

Jenkin Edwards, who rose to fame on the reality television show Big Brother last year, has decided to use his new platform to raise awareness of what life as a young carer is like. 

Big Brother's Jenkin Edwards has revealed he didn't know he was a young carer until his late teens, and now wants to reduce the stigma which many experience.

Around 11,000 children in Wales are looking after a member of their family, but with charities warning that the pressure of being a carer can have a terrible effect on a child's well-being, there are calls for the Welsh Government to do more to ease the burden.

Speaking to S4C's current affairs programme Y Byd ar Bedwar, the 26-year-old from Bridgend opened up about being a young carer for his mother.

“I think this is the first time I’ve spoken publicly about being a young carer, I think that's because there was a stigma growing up," he said.

"I felt I had to keep it a little bit of a secret.

“My friends were doing all these amazing things, going for meals, going to parties, and I was always on the backfoot because I could not do that and I never wanted to let them know there was a reason why I couldn't.”

Jenkin’s mother has health issues which affect her mobility, and her son became a young carer at the age of 10. 

He said: “Her mobility was not great, it was a lot of personal care, helping her with everything she needed. For me, it was my normal.

“I never realised I was a young carer until I was in my late teens. I realised then, 'actually not everyone is going through the things I do'.

"I was shocked that there was no funding left for certain things for young carers. I don't understand how it's fair that they are not getting the funding that is going towards such a good thing and that they deserve.”

Although Jenkin did not receive any support while growing up, his little sister attended the Young Carers Bridgend group which helped her through her caring role. 

Many young carers depend on the support given by Young Carers Bridgend for respite, a space to talk, and to meet other young people in the same position. 

But the organisation is facing financial difficulties as they have lost £30,000 from their budget this year. 

Alissa Bevan, from Bridgend Carers Centre, said: "We’ve received a lot more referrals than we ever have recently, we’re working really well with all the schools, we’ve built great relationships with other organisations in the area, but we have recently lost some of our funding which means that there has been some cuts."

To thank Young Carers Bridgend for supporting his family, Jenkin has decided to organise a fundraiser with the hope to raise money for young people in need of support.  

Jenkin said: "Seeing the difference it made for my sister, the respite she received, they even put her through her driving test. You know stuff like that makes you realise how beneficial it is. And for me to be able to give back to an organisation that helped my family was just a no-brainer.

And he’s even going to auction away his famous green hoodie which he wore often in the Big Brother house. 

"Let's see how much we can get for that. Anything really to help and try our best to get back to where it was for the children. 

The Welsh Carers Trust supports eight organisations like Young Carers Bridgend but says that more investment is needed from the Welsh Government to ensure the necessary support for carers. 

‘Improve the well-being of unpaid carers’

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: "Local authorities have a statutory duty to provide assessment and support services for young carers, with annual funding provided from Welsh Government via the Revenue Support Grant.

“In addition to this we have provided £700,000 to establish a young carer ID card scheme for use in schools across Wales, and provide additional educational resources and networks to support young carers.  We have also supported three annual festivals for young carers with £140,000. These provide extra-curricular activities and experiences for young carers which we know has a positive impact on aspirations and attainment.

“A further £1.6m has been provided over three years to fund national programmes to improve the well-being of unpaid carers, including young carers, and to improve understanding of issues affecting them.” 

You can watch Y Byd ar Bedwar, produced by ITV Cymru Wales, on S4C at 8pm on Monday, 22 July. English and Welsh subtitles are available.

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