Launched on 7th June, during Carers Week 2023, the inquiry will examine how young carers (aged under 18) and young adult carers (18 to 25) are affected by their caring role across a wide range of aspects in their lives.
It is an estimated that there are over one million young carers and young adult carers in the UK, all looking after family members or friends who need support because of an illness, disability or addiction. The pressure on these young people is only increasing. According to a Carers Trust survey, released for Young Carers Action day, 56% of young and young adult carers are spending more time caring than the year before, while 47% are looking after more people than they used to. Recent research from University College London also showed that young and young adult carers were 38% less likely to get a degree than others their age. Carers aged 23 or over were also less likely to get a job. Those caring for 35 hours or more a week 46% less likely to enter employment than non-carers.
The inquiry is being run by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Young Carers and Young Adult Carers. It will be led by Duncan Baker MP (APPG vice-chair) , with support from Carers Trust. To ensure the voices of young carers are heard throughout the process, a panel of 12 young and young adult carers from across England will act as youth advisors to the inquiry.
Key issues to examined include
- Access to education
- The support available to young carers and their families,
- Opportunities for breaks from caring
- How caring affects young people into adulthood such as the impact on further education and employment prospects.
The inquiry starts on 7th June with an online call for evidence and will hear from young carers themselves alongside service providers, parents and other organisations who have a role in improving support for young carers like local authorities, schools and academics. Oral hearings will follow with a final report containing recommendations for improving government policy expected in November.
Duncan Baker MP, who is leading the inquiry, said: ”I’m delighted to be leading the first parliamentary inquiry into the life opportunities for young carers. As someone who has spent many years working closely with my local young carers organisation, Holt Youth Project, I have always been struck by just how much some young carers are taking on. It is our job to ensure that they and their families get the support they need and this inquiry will help us to better do that.”
Paul Blomfield MP, chair of the APPG for Young Carers and Young Adult Carers, said: ”Over the past year, the APPG for Young Carers and Young Adult Carers has heard from young carers across the country. Each time, they have powerfully told us how being a young carer impacts their lives and how they need better support – whether that be in education, with their mental health, or the opportunity to just be children. The fact that there are still children as young as five providing more than 50 hours of care a week is something which simply has to change. This inquiry will amplify the voices of young carers and their families and must lead to more support for them.”
Kirsten Alderson, CEO of Suffolk Family Carers said: ”The findings from this inquiry will help inform what needs to be done to ensure that younger carers have the same opportunity as others. Younger carers registered with Suffolk Family Carers regularly tell us their caring role has an impact on their, education, health and wellbeing. We are hoping the inquiry will lead to action to improve identification support for the thousands of young carers across Suffolk.”
