Young Carers and Young Adult Carers

Young Carers are children and young people who provide care and support for their family. They have significant caring responsibility. They can often find themselves excluded from personal and social opportunities. This includes their education. This can impact on their development, ambitions, and potential to achieve.

When we talk about young carers we are not talking about ‘helping round the house’. We are talking about children and young people who have no choice but to take on significant responsibility. This includes providing personal care and support for a family member. It also includes organising the household and communicating with other people on their parents’ behalf. They also feel responsible for their parents’ safety and wellbeing.

We need to be aware of who is a Young Carer supporting their family within the home. The rise in numbers of Young Carers in Cornwall is partly because we have got better at identifying and supporting Young Carers. But it is also clear that many more children and young people are having to look after family members. There are new initiatives to help the rising numbers of Young Carers in Cornwall.

The Young Carers Strategy 2021-2026

What does the Young Carer’s Strategy do?

• It tells young carers and their families what support is available to them and their families in their local area
• It informs professionals of their responsibilities in supporting young carers and their families
• It provides information about how services will support them in the future

Young Carers have told us being with other young people is important to them. They have also told us that having a break from their caring responsibilities at home makes a big difference to them. It helps with their mental health, physical health and ability to learn.

The new strategy has the voice of the Young Carer and Young Adult Carers running throughout the document. We would like everyone to see it and use it: 

Young Carers Strategy 2021-26

There is also an Action Plan that lists how we will progress the Young Carers Service and we will review this regularly.

The Young Carers Service

The Young Carers Service in Cornwall supports Young Carers from the age of 4 years old up to and including the age of 25 years old for Young Adult Carers.

The service is provided by Barnardo’s. You can find them via the following link: 

Young Carers — Cornwall Carers Service

What do you think about the new Young Carers Strategy 2021-2026?

Would you like to provide feedback from your experience as a young carer or young adult carer?

If so, please email youngcarers@cornwall.gov.uk.