Recognising young carers
Across the UK, more than 120,000 young carers, many teenagers, look after a family member or close friend. But it is likely that number is even higher. Forced to balance school and their social life with caring duties can be an impossible task, and the strain can take its toll. But with the right level of support many of the skills they have learnt while caring are transferable to work and life later down the line. Here, we take a deeper look at why it is so important we recognise young carers and learn how we can help them.
Hidden in plain sight
Hidden in plain sight
A young carer is someone under 18 who cares for another person. This might mean picking up medication for mum, dressing dad, cooking dinner for the family each night. Many aren’t even aware that they qualify as one and don’t get the recognition and support they deserve.
I was the girl that was a carer, but no one cared for the carer.
Young carer
Being a young carer is demanding. But they still have to study for exams, look after themselves, and not lose sight of their dreams. Young carers must take on adult responsibilities and worries while they’re a child. Different factors can make the situation more complicated, such as the cost of living crisis or their family living overseas.
Making young carers visible
Making young carers visible is very important to us. Official figures suggest there are 120,000 young carers aged 5 to 17 in England. However, we believe that this is a serious underrepresentation, as schools have never before been required to ask young people about their caring responsibilities.
You are limited from doing what every other child gets to do.
During the pandemic, we supported HitsRadio to launch the #YoungCarersCount campaign. This highlighted the experiences of young carers during lockdown and called for a child’s carer status to be included in the school census. The school census is led by the Department for Education and collects information like pupil’s background details, special educational needs, and educational history.
We are proud to say in 2022 we succeeded in getting young carers to be included on the school census. As the way data is recorded improves, we believe this will give a much clearer picture of the numbers of young carers across England and how they’re impacted by their caring responsibilities. This should also help to significantly improve the support they receive.
Make a difference
Teenagers are children too, and a future of hope and happiness belongs to every one of them. Don't let them face life alone.
Young carers festival
Young Carers Festival
Every summer, we help put on the young carers festival with the YMCA Fairthorne Group. It is the largest festival in the world for young people with a caring responsibility at home. We had over 800 young carers last year. With live music, rides, a radio station and much more. The festival gives them a break from their everyday lives. It is a space to come together, have fun, make friends and try new things.
It makes me feel worth more and like I deserve to be here, alive and happy.
It makes me feel worth more and like I deserve to be here, alive and happy.
There is also a zone for young carers to share their thoughts and feelings. We run interactive workshops to help facilitate a powerful and united voice about the issues they face. It helps us know what really matters to them, so we can drive political action to influence and inform national and local policy.
Fighting together
Our campaigns and project workers have had great success, but there is still more to do. Young carers are often out of view and have told us they feel isolated. That is why they need more access to professional support. Our specialist project workers help young carers so that they can understand their rights, find time for themselves, and share their experiences. They are the experts on their own lives, and they know best what help they need.
"It makes me feel worth more and like I deserve to be here, alive and happy. Thank you."
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Teenagers’ needs are being ignored, with those who face abuse, exploitation or neglect only receiving help at crisis point. But you can change that today.
