One in five pupils in secondary school are carers, it has been revealed.

The charity Carer Support Wiltshire has joined with Carers Trust to raise awareness of the thousands of young people who look after a loved one for this year's Young Carers Awareness Day, which is on January 31.

One in five secondary school pupils care for a family member with responsibilities including cooking, cleaning, shopping, personal care, emotional support and looking after the family budget.

Half of carers under the age of eight have to get up in the middle of the night to care, interrupting their own sleep and affecting their performance and attendance at school.

Carer Support Wiltshire and Carers Trust are hoping Young Carers Awareness Day will highlight the need for politicians, commissioners, teachers and service providers to pledge clear action to help young carers develop and maintain good mental health.

Carer Support Wiltshire will be running an Understanding Mental Health Workshop for some of the young people they support with Mental Health First Aid Instructor, Daran Bailey.

The workshop will help them to understand mental health issues, how to spot the signs they might be struggling, coping strategies and information around available support and help.

Sharon Twiggs in the CSW Reaching Communities Team is working with the Children’s Society and the Wiltshire Healthy Schools programme to improve the identification and support of young carers in the region.

She said: “A young carer may be worried about leaving the person they are caring for especially if they have no way to contact them and cannot access a mobile phone.

"They might miss homework deadlines, arrive late, or have a particularly bad attendance record.

"They may appear unkempt, tired or irritable.

"They may even be being bullied because of their caring role.”

For Young Carers Awareness Day, Carer Support Wiltshire will be out and about raising awareness in the regions schools and colleges including John of Gaunt School in Trowbridge and Salisbury College.

If you would like more information about being a Young Carer visit carersupportwiltshire.co.uk/young-carers