Tulisa Pulinea Contostavlos

With today being Carers Rights Day we thought it would be appropriate to feature a celebrity who also happens to be a Young Carer.


Tulisa became a Young Carer at the tender age of 5 years old following the sectioning of her Mother Anne Byrne under the UK Mental Health Act.  

A Young Carer is a person under the age of 25 who looks after a family member by providing support with domestic cleaning, housekeeping, laundry, grocery shopping and in some cases help with personal care.

This Mental Health Act gives power to local health service and government agencies to admit a person as a matter of urgency into hospital for safe protection, as they are assessed as a danger to themselves or the public. 

The assessment usually involves a team of Psychiatric Doctors/Nurses and Mental Health Social Workers.  Either the Doctor or Nurse will sit with the patient asking a series of questions, and making a record of their response.  They will then meet briefly and make the best possible decision.  

Following this assessment if the patient is admitted they are prescribed appropriate medication, reviewed on a weekly basis, and referals may be made to Crisis Intervention Teams, Occupational Therapists and or any Support Groups or signposted to other services available.  

Once well enough they will be released as an Out-Patient and looked after in the community with the support of both family members, and Social Services.  However in most cases family tend to take on the role of Primary Carer so that the patient, and family, do not have to live through this very arduous and in-personal experience, which leaves private home life as an open book with no stone going unturned.  

This can be a very traumatic process for a young child to witness, and has often left children in need of support themselves in order to alleviate the stress induced upon the family unit or home environment.

Tulisa's Mother Anne was diagnosed  with Schizoaffective Disorder a combination of; Bipolar and Schizophrenia.

Following her Mothers return home, Tulisa would then have to live through another disturbance to home life the separation of her Mother from her father Steven Constatavlos.  More responsibility would be placed on Tulisa with her being named as Primary Carer.

Although both a Primary Carer and Young Carer have similarities in the care they give to a family member, a Primary Carer will have a more detailed level of responsibility.  It is also quite unusual for a child of 11 years old to take on this very adult responsibility as it entails the disclosure of sensitive of information in order for the child to take on this role.  Tulisa may have had to attend medical appointments, administer medications, handle financial care, along with her normal household chores as a Young Carer.  

Often through fear of consequence Young Carers will suffer in silence.  Many themselves become depressed, and have been known to self harm.

During Tulisa's teenage years she struggled with depression, self harm and admitted on the BBC documentary 'My Mum and Me' that there was a time she attempted suicide she recalls "I took some of my mothers pills witht he intention of not waking up".

These added pressures make school life quite unbearable for an adolescent, along with pier pressure, school work and home life Young Carer's can feel quite isolated and alone causing a dramatic impact on what is supposed to be the best years of their life.

Tulisa was unable to complete school and never took her GCSE's.

Today thankfully with some of the skills learned she is referred to as 'The Boss'.  Tulisa is the band member of the MOBO award wining trio N-Dubz.  Having seen success in the US and UK following the bands signing to Def Jam.  She is a fellow judge on The X Factor UK and is currently working on her solo album.

Radio Cardiff Young Carers Show would like to wish Tulisa future success and happiness with whatever path she chooses to take.  We hope one day to be lucky enough to meet her as she is an inspiration to young people everywhere.

Tulisa Pulinea Contostavlos we salute you!


If your a Young Carer needing support please contact http://www.crossroads.org.uk