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Fronted by Oritsé Williams, founding member of boyband JLS, Britain’s Youngest Carers sees Williams meet young carers from across the UK who take care of their sick or disabled parents on a daily basis, as well as experts who work with these young people to help them cope in a situation that can be an immense strain. A carer himself since the age of 12 for his mother who suffers from Multiple Sclerosis, Oritsé’s journey will see him meet carers as young as 6 years-old as he attempts to shed light on the lives of just a few of the 700,000 young people experts believe are informally caring for parents with tasks ranging from cleaning and drug administration to personal intimate care (toileting, bathing, dressing).
Britain’s Youngest Carers was commissioned for Channel 4 by Ade Rawcliffe, through the Alpha Fund – which is aimed at developing and supporting ideas from new and diverse creative talent.
Of the commission Ade said: “The statistics about the number of young carers in Britain today are devastating and through his experience of being a young carer himself, Oritsè authoring his first documentary, was able to bring an authentic voice to stories rarely told in the mainstream media.”
Oritsé added: “I wanted to make this film on Britain’s Young Carers to bring awareness to the public after feeling isolated as a young carer myself. In this programme I expose the unknown.”
#BritainsYoungestCarers / @MaroonProds
