Every day Freddie, aged 13, comes home from school and cooks the evening meal for his four sisters and his mum. Then he clears up the kitchen and tidies the house. Freddie's mum Emma is disabled and unable to safely cook, so he helps care for the family. His younger sister, Jasmine (11) showers and cleans her mum, and helps her get dressed. She also makes sure her youngers sisters aged 8 and 9 are washed and clean. Although dad, Jack, would like to do more, he works long hours as a security guard to make ends meet financially.

Emma told us that Freddie can feel very isolated and anxious. He doesnt have the time to take part in after-school activities that other children do, so making friends is more difficult.

Freddie and Jasmine are two of the 118 children who are carers who we supported last year. When mum, Emma, got in touch with us we visited her at home to discuss how we could help the family. Emmas children all then began to take part in the activities for young carers we offer. The children have been on trips to farms, a water-sports day at Grafham Water, a trip to the seaside at Hunstanton, and have been out to Ferry Meadows in Peterborough. They have been able to meet other children in a similar position and make new friends.

Emma said, "The opportunities that Caring Together provides gives them time away from their caring role where they can just be a child and have fun and make new friends. It gives them opportunities to talk to others in similar situations because lots of other children are carers as well.