Watch the Young Carers and Young Adult Carers video
Young Carers and Young Adult Carers
Nearly one million children and young people provide unpaid care to family members
Will you help support the invisible army of children and young adults who have to care at home?
The issue
Britain’s ‘invisible army’ of young carers and young adult carers provide unpaid care to family members.
As well as caring for loved ones who are ill, disabled or have mental health issues or other needs, these young carers face their own challenges, such as education, employment and developing adult relationships. We want them to get the support they need.
The numbers:
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There are 11m children under 18 in the UK. A quarter of these live in families where there is chronic physical or mental health problems, illness and disability.
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Of these, as many as 700,000 children (eight per cent of all children) and 250,000 young adults (aged 18-24) have unpaid caring roles within their own families.
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Many provide more than 20 hours of care per week; some, including very young children, care for more than 50 hours a week.
Our solution
The University is working with young carers and young adult carers to improve their quality of life. Thanks to our research, their role in UK society and internationally is increasingly being recognised. We will investigate the barriers that restrict their health, well-being, development and education, and identify policies and services that empower them and work best for them and their families.
Our impact
Our work is winning greater recognition for young carers, increasing support networks, and helping reduce the amount of caring they do – giving them greater life opportunities.
What will your Impact be?
Your support for Young Carers and Young Adult Carers will make a genuine difference to the lives of these ‘invisible’ young people. It will help us raise awareness of the work that these young people do and inform policies and services to support them.
Quotes
We’re real people, with real issues, listen to what we say.
Young adult carer
A lot of young carers who have definitely got the ability and potential to go onto university have been denied it because of the problems in school, because of people not understanding the problems and their situation.
Alex, 19, a young carer
Schools should be more aware of the issues young carers face.
Young carer
Schools didn’t understand that at home I didn’t have time to do homework or anything and so most lunchtimes I’d be in detention doing my homework, because when I got home I would need to make tea, do all the washing up and do all the cleaning.
Natalie, 19, a young carer