Published 13th March 2023
Young Carers Action Day takes place this Wednesday 15 March and this year the annual event organised by The Carers Trust has theme of ‘Make Time for Young Carers’.
A young carer is someone under the age of 18 who is helping to look after someone regularly because they’re physically or mentally ill, disabled or have addition. They might be caring their mum, dad or grandparent or they might be helping their parents carer for a brother or sister who is unwell, has a disability or special needs.
Support for young carers and young adult carers
Young Carers Matter Norfolk provides support and advice to young carers and their families in Norfolk. They provide advice and support on a range of topics including financial advice, emotional wellbeing, emergency planning and young carers needs assessment.
You can call their free advice line on 0800 083 1148 or email, info@youngcarersmatternorfolk.org
Click here to visit the Young Carers Matter Norfolk website.
Norfolk Young Carers Forum
Norfolk Young Carers Forum (NYCF) gives young carers and young adult carers in Norfolk the opportunity to raise awareness and make a difference about the issues that affect them and their families.
Click here to find out more about the forum.
Caring Together – Young Carers Challenge for Norfolk schools
From spring 2023, young carers were for the first time included on the school census return. This will provide a much better picture of the number of young carers in schools, but also presents opportunities to use this data to monitor attendance and attainment of young carers.
As well as identifying young carers it is important they are then given the support they need.
Click here to find out how schools can be involved in the Caring Together Young Carers Challenge
App for young carers
Young carers need proper support around them to make sure they’re able to care for their loved ones while taking care of their own physical and mental health, and working towards a bright and healthy future.
The Young Carers Support app enables young and young adult carers in the UK to find information and advice, self-help resources, wellbeing tips and activities, plus a catalogue of support services – all in one place.
There is also local information available for young carers in Norfolk. The App is free and available for any young carer, or professional working with young carers to download on Android and iOS.
- iOS: https://apple.co/3JR6202
- Android: https://bit.ly/3p9v3Mh
Get involved with Young Carers Action Day
Young carers told The Carers Trust that they can sometimes feel overwhelmed because of everything they need to do for their caring role on top of all their schoolwork and revising for exams. They want to be listened to and think that the things that would make them feel less overwhelmed, healthier and happier are:
- improved support in schools
- more access to breaks,
- better access to counselling support
- and more financial support.
The Carers Trust has several ways in which you can campaign for better support for young carers:
- Add your signature to the letter to the Prime Minister calling for his support for young carers and young adult carers.
- Sign the Young Carers Pledge which asks MPs, organisations and individuals to pledge their support for young carers and young adult carers.