‘I’d love a normal life, but being a 17-year-old carer means sacrifices’ – BBC News
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‘I’d love a normal life, but being a 17-year-old carer means sacrifices’
Ava-Grace Britton, 17, is a carer for her father Paul and says she worries about him "all the time."
Ava-Grace studies acting at college in north London while caring for her father, who has mobility and memory issues due to multiple strokes. Along with her mother Karen, she monitors his blood glucose levels, administers medication, and assists with dinner and household chores.
"I worry about him all the time," Ava-Grace shared with the BBC. "Before I go to college, I help him, and most days, I have to return home quickly to look after him."
Officially, census data suggests there are around 130,000 carers under the age of 18 in England and Wales. However, estimates from the Carers Trust put the real number closer to 1 million carers under 18 and another 500,000 aged 18-25. Some young carers shoulder significant responsibilities, logging over 50 hours a week.
This often comes at a cost to their social lives, academic prospects, and overall well-being. As Ava-Grace expressed, "You have to make sacrifices. I can’t do all the things my friends do."
Paul’s health issues began when he suffered a sepsis infection after cutting his thumb at work, leading to the strokes and diabetes that require constant monitoring.
"It turned our life upside down," Karen recalled. "I don’t know how I would cope without Ava-Grace."
Ava-Grace has had to adjust her plans due to her caring responsibilities, including moving schools several times because of bullying and attendance issues related to both caring duties and epilepsy management. She aspires to attend university but is considering locations close to home, "because I know my dad needs me."
