“The problem is that they are not always visible because they often don’t think of themselves as carers,” Mary told the Limerick Post.
“We have raised the issue with the schools because teachers may become aware of them. If students seem to be under pressure, maybe they are falling behind in schoolwork because they are tired or because of pressures at home”.
Pointing out that in neighbouring Clare where the organisation has its headquarters, there are 60 children in this position, she welcomed the new National Carers Strategy.
“As far back as 1988 the Department of Health expressed its desire to enable older people to live with dignity and to be cared for as long as possible in their own homes and 24 years on, the Government has produced a strategy that we feel provides the framework,” she said.
However, Renee Geary of the Limerick branch of Caring for Carers, said that while the evidence is there in the census, her group has not encountered carers in the age group of under 15 .
According to the care group, the youngsters may simply be taking on more housework because there is a disabled or elderly person in the home or they may have a bigger share of duties – for instance, if the person in need of care is a parent who requires bathing or feeding.
“There are a lot of people who don’t identify as carers because they are caring for a family member or a spouse. They just see it as being their duty,” concluded Renee.
