LGBTQ+ Carers
Carers Link Lancashire is proud to support LGBTQ+ Carers.
Carers UK estimate that there are 240,000 (LGBTQ+) Carers in the UK.
The Carers Trust found that:
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83% of young adult LGBT+ Carers experienced bullying at school/college
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88% of LGBTQ+ Carers experience mental health problems
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31% feel that they are treated differently because of their sexual identity
Being LGBTQ+ and a carer can bring additional challenges that others may not understand. This may include social isolation and fear of accessing support. This can be compounded for LGBTQ+ Carers, especially those from older generations.
As well as ourselves at Carers Link Lancashire, there are many other organisations and charities that can support you:
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Carers UK: A guide for LGBTQ+ carers: Getting support and knowing your rights
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The LGBT Foundation is a national charity that gives information, support and advice to lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans communities, including a phone and email helpline.
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Rainbow Café - Blackburn Rovers Community Hub, Ewood. Wednesdays 12-2pm. Meet up session for neurodivergent individuals or members of the LGBTQI+ community who are 18+.
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Lancashire LGBT run several services for LGBTQ+ people aged 18+ in Lancashire, including counselling, one to one support service, several peer support and activity groups and a signposting information service. Head to https://lancslgbt.org.uk/for-individuals/
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Carers Connect is a 24/7 online forum for Carers UK members aged 18+ where you can talk about anything related to caring.
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Black Beetle Health provide health information for LGBTQ+ Black people and People of Colour in the UK.
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British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) is a professional body for talking therapy and counselling. Provides information and a list of accredited therapists.
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Mind Out is a mental health service run by and for LGBTQ people.
If you are caring for someone with HIV, the Terrence Higgins Trust provides a wealth of information for anyone who is living with or newly diagnosed with this condition.
Lyn and Heather’s Story
Lyn and Heather are long term same sex partners with Lyn being the birth mother to 4 wonderful children, two girls and two boys. Their eldest daughter is 20 and has ASD, their eldest son is 15 with no additional needs, their youngest daughter is 13 and has cerebral palsy and their youngest son has complex needs including autism, cerebral palsy and epilepsy. Lyn has supported and cared for all her children from birth whilst also balancing her own medical challenges which include overcoming a stroke and battling fibromyalgia and arthritis. Heather is a step mum to all the children and has been part of their lives for many years. As well as providing support at home, she works part time for Carers Link Lancashire. Together they juggle daily medications, personal cares, mental wellbeing and endless hospital appointments. They continually fight for the medical and educational support their children need. As one battle is won another presents itself. Life is never quiet!
Before talking to Carers Link Lancashire we didn’t recognise ourselves as “carers”. Yes life was a little harder than most peoples, our kids a little more challenging, but this is what fate gave us so this was just our job as parents. After talking to Carers Link our eyes were opened, we started to recognise our role as carers, and were given information on the support that is available. There is a community of parent carers like ourselves out there, and even talking to others in the same boat, with the same challenges can sometimes help. Our eldest son also joined Young Carers. He has benefited massively from joining groups and activities, taking time away from our complex family unit to just be himself and have some fun. We are a happy loving family unit but we have faced challenges due to our sexuality. We have been asked to “prove” parental responsibility, made to jump through hoops to get both mums acknowledged and accepted as equal when dealing with professionals across healthcare and education. But things do slowly seem to be getting better out there for same sex couples, there are more places that accept any family without prejudice.