Young people who help to care for parents with mental illnesses may need extra support at school.
This is according to Lucie Russell, director of campaigns at YoungMinds, who said the stigma attached to mental health problems can have a very negative impact.
"Young people who are caring for a parent with mental illness may find it difficult to admit they need extra support at school and so teachers and school support staff need to be open and aware of how and when to offer help," she commented.
Improved levels of support will help to ensure that these young people are emotionally equipped to deal with their lives, Ms Russell noted.
Providing adequate support through social services and schools can also help to break the intergenerational cycle of passing mental health problems down through families.
A report published by the Mental Health Foundation earlier this month revealed that between 50,000 and 200,000 young people are currently caring for a parent with mental health problems.
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