More support needed for young carers in Wales, says charity
Research by Action for Children suggests hundreds of thousands of young carers in England and Wales could be unknown to local authorities and missing out on support
Hundreds of thousands of ‘hidden’ young carers not getting vital support this summer
Research by the charity Action for Children suggests hundreds of thousands of young carers in England and Wales could be unknown to local authorities and missing out on support.
It’s estimated there are over 1 million young carers across the UK who help care for a family member with an illness or disability.
But figures from 141 local authorities in England and Wales via a Freedom of Information request show 84,256 young carers under the age of 18 were registered.
The Freedom of Information data also revealed 'inconsistent levels of support for young carers', according to Action for Children.
Research by Action for Children and the Carers Trust in 2023 revealed more than eight out of ten young carers feel lonely in the summer holidays, when their caring responsibilities often increase as they spend less time outside the home.
8 out of 10 young carers feel lonely in the summer holidays:
16-year-old Meghan attends Action for Children’s Young Carers in Pembrokeshire.
She helps her parents look after her 12-year-old sister, Mia, who is autistic, has a learning disability, and is limited verbally.
Meghan says: "I didn't realise I was a young carer until a couple of years ago, when my sister’s social worker brought it up. It can feel really lonely, especially when people don't understand.
“Summer holidays can be very hard. All my friends go off on holiday or are out and about the whole time. That just isn’t an option for me, and I can feel isolated at times.
“Everything I do has to relate back to my sister and her needs… A lot of the time for me it feels more like being a third parent rather than a sibling... like I am living her life before my own or instead of my own.
"A lot of the time for me it feels more like being a third parent"
"Attending young carers has been a real lifeline to me. It feels like I can focus on myself without worrying about anything else.”
Laurie Ryall, National Director for Action for Children in Wales says:
“We see firsthand in our services just how vital access to specialist support is for young carers.
“It gives them a break from their responsibilities, a chance to have fun and be a child, and to meet other young people in similar situations who understand what they’re going through.
“We also know the loneliness, anxiety and stress that can be placed on their shoulders, particularly during the long summer holidays when they’re not at school getting that social time out of the home.
“Services for young carers also give support workers an opportunity to spot problems early before they hit crisis point.
“The government must ensure councils have sufficient funding"
“The government must ensure councils have sufficient funding so that all young carers have access to these essential services.”
A Welsh Government spokesperson says:
“Young carers play a vital role in providing care for their family members throughout the year. Local authorities have a statutory duty to support young carers and to ensure their caring is not detrimental to their education or emotional and social development.
“It is important young carers receive the support they are entitled to, and we recently ran a social media campaign to help young people recognise when they are carers and connect them with support.