Young carers are the unsung heroes and heroines of society.

Often taking on adult roles within families – cooking, cleaning and even counselling others in the household – they have to grow up fast and accept that theirs is not a ‘normal’ childhood.

John Humpleby, project leader for Kirklees Young Carers, says that for these youngsters “caring is an extra burden that other young people don’t have.”

But, after working with young carers for the past few years, he has found that many embrace their responsibilities willingly.

“A lot of them like being carers and wouldn’t have it any other way,” he said. “We should remember that and celebrate their achievements.”

However, there can be no doubt that caring for a parent or sibling puts stresses and demands on a young person. For some it can be difficult to pursue their studies and school attendance is disrupted. They may suffer from social isolation and feel their peers don’t understand.

And that’s where Kirklees Young Carers steps in to offer support.

The organisation, which is funded by Kirklees Council but run by the Child and Family Trust charity, based at Northorpe Hall in Mirfield, began helping young people over a decade ago.

Today it supports up to 100 youngsters from around 85 families at any one time.

It is no cliche to say that KYC is a lifeline. In fact, it is the only lifeline that many young carers have and there’s a waiting list for its services.

“The young people can come here and meet each other and realise they are not alone,” explained John. “We can’t take away their caring responsibilities but we can help them cope and flourish and achieve the best they can in the circumstances.”

Jo Varley from Meltham, whose 17-year-old son Ben is currently attending ‘Growing Strong’ group sessions run by KYC at Northorpe, says the organisation is a “godsend”.

Ben and his younger brother Reece, nine, help Jo to care for their sibling Jack, 11, who was born with the genetic disorder Sotos Syndrome. The condition causes abnormal growth, learning difficulties and extreme behavioural problems.

Jo explained: “Reece and Ben, who are normal, can’t have a normal life. Jack is very demanding. The boys can’t have friends to stay, they can’t go out that much and that’s why Young Carers is such a godsend for them. It gives them the chance to be normal for a couple of hours a week. Ben has been involved for a couple of years but Reece has only just become involved.”

Young carer Ben Varley, 17
Young carer Ben Varley, 17

Ben, who is studying health and social care at Huddersfield New College – a choice inspired by his years as a carer – says: “I have had to grow up very quickly. I’ve been helping my mum since Jack was born. I have had to look after my little brother at home, help her clean up and cook the tea. I go to the doctors and get prescriptions and take him to the doctors.

“I have no chance to socialise at the moment.”

Such are the demands of family life that Ben’s school attendance has been affected and while he says he’s on track with his studies at the moment, he is anxious about his future prospects.

“My mates want to know why I get days off school and they don’t understand it,” he said. “I get really annoyed with them sometimes because they just don’t understand. That’s why Young Carers is so great because you get to meet people in your situation and make new friends.”

Jo, who is a single parent, believes the young carers group has boosted her son’s confidence and she’s also delighted that it gives him a break from responsibilities.

She says having a child with disabilities has had a dramatic impact on family life but it has helped her to forge a rock-solid relationship with Ben.

“He is like my best friend,” she said. “We have a really good relationship and have grown really close over the years. I’d be lost without him.

“I had flu a few weeks ago and I couldn’t do anything. I had to call upon him to help and I felt really guilty doing that because it’s not fair, but I had no-one else. He has the patience of a saint.”

Jo’s family gets four days of respite care a month, at which time they do the ‘normal’ activities other families take for granted.

“My younger one feels pretty left out and wants attention,” says Jo. “But as he gets older he is understanding more. I try to divide myself up for them. The respite time gives us all a break.”

Office for National Statistics figures show that 2.6% of young people under the age of 25 in Kirklees and Calderdale – that’s a total of 5,200 – are providing at least one hour of unpaid care a week. More young people care for parents than siblings and the majority are from single-parent families.

It’s impossible to put a figure on how much such youngsters save the nation in caring costs but it’s probably safe to say that it must run into millions of pounds.

While Kirklees Young Carers has a steady stream of families requesting support, John believes that a substantial number slip through the net.

He said: “We don’t reach them all because circumstances can be so chaotic that families can be hard to engage with.”

John also suspects that many schools don’t know how many pupils are carers and therefore don’t offer support.

He added: “It can be something as simple as allowing them to have their mobile phones with them because a lot of young carers worry about their parents and need to know they can get in touch with them.”

The KYC organisation provides term-time sessions to bring young people together as well as running smaller projects connecting those with similar interests. It also signposts carers to other projects and organisations.

But John accepts that there is not a huge amount of help for young carers and that KYC resources are limited.

Many young carers attend Growing Strong for a term but some are invited to return if it is felt they have greater needs.

Leanne Scott, 15, from Newsome, is a carer for her mother, Lorraine Barnes, who suffers from constant pain and mobility issues caused by a spinal condition.

She recently moved from Braintree in Essex to live with her mother and because she has had to cope with changing schools and losing her network of old friends she is now attending KYC sessions for a second term.

Leanne says she has always been a carer and accepts her role.

“I could cook a full roast dinner at the age of 10,” she said. “I have always been told that I’m a caring person but I have always put others before myself.”

These days she does “most of the housework” and helps to care for her stepfather, who also has health problems.

“My mum isn’t able to cook so I’m having to cook and fend for myself,” she added.

Although it’s difficult to find time for her schoolwork, Leanne says she’s eager to do well at GCSE and get a place at Kirklees College to study dance.

“I knuckle down at school and put a lot of effort in because I know I won’t have much chance to study at home,” she explained.

Her long-term ambition is to join the Army, following in the footsteps of her two older brothers.

Through KYC she has made new friends and meets up with them outside the project.

“It doesn’t make you feel as isolated because there are people in the same sort of situation,” she said.

Her mum, Lorraine, who suffered a slipped disc in 2004 which damaged her sciatic nerve understands that life can be difficult for carers like Leanne.

She explained: “There have been times when I have felt bad about the demands on her and she hasn’t been able to see her friends. She has to explain to them why and some children don’t understand.

“Through Young Carers she can meet children in the same situation as herself and they can talk to each other as well as the support workers. She’s got to have time to be a kid as well as a carer.”

Unpaid young carers in Kirklees represent 8.2% of the total number of carers which is higher than the national average of 7.6% and the third highest figure in the region. These figures were taken from the Office for National Statistics’ Census of Population in 2011 and covers all children and young people between the ages of five and 24.

A report published by the GMB union at its Young Members Conference shows that more than 41,000 young people in the Yorkshire and Humberside region provide unpaid care – usually for family members – every week. This represents 7.4% of all those in the region who have an unpaid caring role. The union says they are the ‘glue’ that maintains social solidity.