FOR Scott Kane, 19, caring for his mum who has cerebral palsy has been a way of life since he was just three.

Although Scott has never questioned the importance of taking care of his mum, he admits having a parent so dependent on you can be tough.

Scott said: “Helping my mum has been my whole life, it’s something I’ve never questioned, I just do it.

“When I was younger and helping my mum I didn't have many friends as I didn't get out the house much, and I didn’t have a scheme like YouthWatch to help me."

Scott spoke out as an ambassador for YouthWatch, a unique support scheme set up by independent health and social care organisation Healthwatch Wiltshire.

The scheme will train young volunteers aged 14-25 to listen to the views of children and young people to find out what they think of the health and social care services and how they are run, and feed that back to the people who run the system.

Mum Maria, who has relied on her son's help since her marriage broke up when he was small, said: "Scott literally helps me with everything, from getting dressed to getting in the car.

“Although almost all my family live within a three-mile radius and my twin brother, Michael, lives across the road, Scott has really been all my help on an everyday basis.

“It seems as if youths don’t get much of a say in health related topics, but the YouthWatch scheme will change that.”

Scott, who lives near Trowbridge, is now studying at Lackham College and was part of a group of 10 Young Listeners who spoke to hundreds of their peers about their views and experiences with health and social care over the last year. Their findings were put into a report and shared with officials, who are now making changes to the system.

He has also found volunteering has boosted his self-confidence, and is keen to urge other young carers to take this on too.

He explained: “I decided to get involved in volunteering to meet new people and help others.

“Looking after my mum has made me more caring, more understanding and I’m able to value life for what it is. I’ve done over 200 hours of volunteering now and this makes me happy.

“I thrive on helping others and volunteering has helped to give not only me a voice but others too. Young people often don’t get heard because of their age but through YouthWatch we can make a real impact on the way services are run locally.

“I hope this scheme brings the support to young careers that I would have valued," he said. “My volunteering has made me a much more confident and caring person, and working to promote this scheme has allowed me to meet people of my age who are in a similar situation.

If you, your child, or someone you support or look after would be interested in joining the YouthWatch scheme, contact Healthwatch Wiltshire on 01225 434218, email info@healthwatchwiltshire.co.uk or visit www.healthwatchwiltshire.co.uk/youthwatch for more details.