Kerry’s story

Kerry has been coming to Ormiston sessions for young carers in East Cambridgeshire for the past two years. She is a lively and compassionate 12 year old, caring for her mum, who has a debilitating lung disease. Because she has oxygen canisters and other medical equipment, Kerry’s mum, Sally, cannot leave the house easily, so Kerry does the shopping and most of the housework. Kerry’s dad left when she was a baby and she has no contact with that side of her family.

Our staff organise a taxi service to collect Kerry to bring her along to our programme of weekly fun activities and support sessions. We have also helped her understand about her mum’s illness. Kerry has school attendance problems and is often behind with homework, mainly because of her domestic commitments, so we have liaised with teachers at Kerry’s school to help them understand her circumstances.

Kerry’s grandparents live nearby and have been able to offer extra support, financially and emotionally. However, the situation has changed recently as Kerry’s grandmother lost her job. The financial worries of her grandparents, and consequently her mum, have inevitably affected Kerry.

Our staff are working closely with Kerry, trying to keep her upbeat about her future.

Kerry was  recently able to enjoy a fun day out at the seaside with 50 other young carers during the Easter holidays and a local care home donated Easter Eggs for the children in the programme, which Kerry really enjoyed.