This Christmas, you can help a young carer like Leila feel like a kid again

My name is Liz, and I work with young carers like Leila, who shoulder responsibilities no child should have to bear. 

Leila is only 13, but she thinks like a 17-year-old. She spends her days caring for her blind father, supporting her mother, who doesn’t speak English, and looking after her younger brother. 

Every morning, before she heads off to school, she makes breakfast, chops fruit, and makes sure her dad is ready to face the day. After school, she translates letters, reads council notices, and helps with household tasks. She interprets medical letters and handles phone calls that no 13-year-old should have to manage. 

It can be incredibly tough, especially around Christmas, when most children look forward to presents, activities and festive cheer. For Leila, the season brings the same stress and responsibilities as every other day.

And this is why I’m asking for your help today. Your support can give children like Leila a much-needed break — allowing them to enjoy the simple joy of being a child.

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I wish you could see it. At our youth groups, she gets to simply be Leila — a young girl having fun with friends, learning to bake, or doing some crafts.  

And when Christmas comes, we do something even more special. Last year, we took Leila and other young carers ice skating!  

I’ll never forget the joy on her face as she stepped onto the ice for the very first time. For a few precious hours, she wasn’t thinking about others. She was just a girl, laughing with her friends, twirling on the ice, and making memories that would last a lifetime.

But experiences like this are only possible because of people like you. Without your generosity, children like Leila might not get the chance to escape the weight of their responsibilities, even for a little while.  

And this Christmas, you can make magic happen again. A gift of £52 could cover the cost of ice-skating tickets for 4 young carers, giving them the chance to experience something they’d never be able to afford otherwise.

For Leila, it’s not just about skating, it’s about stepping away from the challenges she faces and feeling like a child again. Please, help us make this Christmas, and every day after, brighter for young carers.

Thank you

Liz, Manager at the Young Carers’ Project Kingston Carers’ Network (one of Carers Trust’s 134 Network Partners, who are delivering services across the UK).

The carers’ names and photos have been changed to protect their identity, but their story is real.