CYP Now - As young carers’ responsibilities intensify, respite is ‘everything’

Imagine: you are 14 years old with interests, friends, dreams, schoolwork, and exams. You’re trying to make sense of who you are, and the society around you.

Young carers describe feeling alone among peers, according to Spurgeons. Picture: Adobe Stock

Now, add in the pressure of making sure bills are paid on time, the household is fed, and your siblings have clean clothes to wear.

This is the reality for more than 356,000 young people across England and Wales today.

And it’s getting worse. A UK-wide survey this year of more than 1,000 carers showed that the time spent on carrying out extra caring responsibilities has doubled, with many caring for between 20 and 49 hours per week.

Courageously stepping up to the mark for family in a caring role shouldn’t come to the detriment of a young carer's own mental health, education, and social development. For many of these children and young people, however, that is the case. Their participation in leisure activities often suffers due to their caring roles and many report feeling lonely and stressed.

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