New initiative to transform the lives of young carers in Essex

Organisations across Essex can sign up to ensure young carers are identified early for support, live free from poverty, and can access education, training, and employment opportunities.

The Government, councils, businesses, and schools are being urged by national charity Carers Trust to sign a landmark new commitment that aims to transform the lives of over one million young carers.

The Young Carers Covenant is being launched on Young Carers Action Day (13 March) - an annual event led by Carers Trust to raise awareness of young and young adult carers, the challenges they face, and their need for far greater support.

The Covenant sets out 10 key goals, as well as actions that organisations and individuals can take to help young carers reach their full potential.

There are more than one million carers aged under 18 in the UK, many reliant on local carer organisations for support.

At least 50,000 children and young people, including 3,000 aged just five to nine, spend 50 hours or more a week looking after ill or disabled family members.

A 2023 Carers Trust survey of carers aged under 25 showed 33% always or usually struggle to balance caring with school, college or university work.

Two-fifths (40%) said they don’t get the help they need to balance caring and learning.

The Young Carers Covenant aims to tackle these issues by asking organisations and individuals to commit to do what they can to make its goals a reality.

Suggested actions include employers committing to more flexible working practices for young adult carers.

Schools and colleges can appoint a member of staff as a young carer lead, tasked with ensuring support is available for them.

Carers Trust is calling for the Government to make it a requirement for all schools, colleges and universities to have a young carers lead and policy in place.

Carers Trust’s CEO, Kirsty McHugh, said: "The lives of young carers in the UK are very different to those of their classmates. Many spend time making sure medication is taken by their loved ones, cooking meals and even running household finances. Without proper support, these huge responsibilities can overwhelm young carers and have a devastating impact on their education and future prospects. Having a young carer lead and a policy setting out what support is available in every school would make a huge difference to their lives, helping to identify and support them."

Its estimated there are up to 10,000 young carers in Essex, with 3000 registered.

James Clarke, CEO of Action for Family Carers, said: "We sometimes call young carers hidden heroes and it's nice to think of them as heroes, but they are also children who sometimes miss out on opportunities, miss out on their childhood in many cases. When we're talking about children, they don't choose to take on that role. So, we want them to have a childhood. We want them to thrive and fulfil their potential."