Young Carers Action Day

Young Carers Action Day is a special event that highlights the amazing contributions of young carers.

These young people often juggle school and home responsibilities, providing crucial support to family members who are sick, disabled, or have mental health issues.

The day aims to raise awareness about their unique challenges and the essential role they play in their families and communities.

The celebration focuses on the needs and well-being of young carers. It emphasizes the importance of giving them better support in schools, access to breaks, and counseling services.

Many young carers experience increased pressure and stress, making it vital to acknowledge and address their struggles.

By doing so, we can help them balance their caring duties with personal development and education.

History of Young Carers Action Day

Young Carers Action Day started as Young Carers Awareness Day. This special day was first observed in 2015, thanks to Carers Trust.

It aimed to shine a light on the hard work and sacrifices of young carers who balance school and home responsibilities while caring for family members.

In 2020, the event was renamed Young Carers Action Day to focus more on taking action to support young carers.

The age range for those recognized was expanded from under 18 to include young adults up to 25 years old. The date was also moved to March 16 to allow for better alignment with other awareness events.

Carers Trust, which resulted from a merger between The Princess Royal Trust for Carers and Crossroads Care in 2012, organizes this day.

They wanted to raise awareness about the challenges faced by young carers and provide them with better support.

The day emphasizes the importance of recognizing young carers’ contributions and ensuring they receive the help they need to thrive.

How to Celebrate Young Carers Action Day

Young Carers Action Day encourages everyone to listen to and understand these young individuals. It calls on educators, employers, and communities to provide the necessary support to ensure young carers can lead fulfilling lives.

The day also serves as a reminder that small actions, like offering a listening ear or flexible school arrangements, can significantly impact their lives for the better.

Host a Young Carers Party

Why not throw a fun-filled party for young carers? Invite friends, family, and neighbors. Decorate with bright balloons, streamers, and banners celebrating young carers.

Organize games, karaoke, and a photo booth. Everyone loves a good time, and this party will also raise awareness.

Create Art Together

Get creative with a community art project. Gather young carers and their friends to paint a mural or create a big collage.

Art is a fantastic way to express feelings and stories. Display the finished masterpiece in a local community center for all to admire.

School Assemblies Rock

Organize a special school assembly dedicated to young carers. Invite a young carer to speak about their experiences.

This can help other students understand their unique challenges. Add some music, a short video, and a skit performed by the drama club.

Use social media to spread the word. Post stories, pictures, and facts about young carers. Create a unique hashtag and encourage others to use it. Share resources and ways to help.

The more people know the more support young carers will get.

Community Support Drive

Hold a community support drive. Collect items like school supplies, books, and games for young carers. Set up a collection point at a local library or community center.

This small gesture can make a big difference in their lives.

Facts About Young Carers Day

Hidden Workforce: How Common Young Carers Are

Across Europe, researchers estimate that about 7 to 8 percent of children and adolescents regularly provide care for a family member, although some national surveys suggest rates as high as 10 percent or more depending on how “caring” is defined.

These young carers often remain invisible in official statistics because many families do not disclose children’s caring roles, and services are not set up to identify them systematically.

Education Put on Hold

Studies in the United Kingdom show that school-age young carers miss an average of 27 school days each year, often due to hospital appointments, exhaustion, or crisis at home.

These interruptions, combined with late homework and difficulty concentrating, are linked to poorer exam results and lower progression to college or university compared with peers who are not carers.

Mental Health Risks Are Dramatically Higher

Data from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health indicate that 1 in 5 young carers aged 16 to 17 report a long‑term mental health condition, compared with about 1 in 15 of their non‑caring peers.

Other surveys find that young carers are more likely to experience chronic stress, anxiety, and loneliness, and are at increased risk of self‑harm and suicidal thoughts.

Loneliness Peaks When School Support Disappears

Research by Action for Children found that more than 80 percent of young carers feel lonely during the summer holidays, when school routines and access to pastoral staff disappear.

For many, school is not only a place of learning but also the main source of social contact and emotional support outside the family home.

Caring in Youth Can Shape a Lifetime Career Path

European longitudinal research on young adult carers has found that those with significant caring responsibilities are less likely to be in employment or higher education than peers without caring roles.

Even when they do enter the labor market, they are more likely to be in part‑time or insecure jobs, reflecting disrupted education and the need to fit work around ongoing family care.

Women and Girls Shoulder Most Youth Care

A multi‑country European study of young adult carers found that around 70 percent of them were female.

This gender imbalance mirrors patterns seen in adult unpaid caregiving and suggests that expectations about girls’ and young women’s roles in the family start to shape who becomes a carer from a very early age.

Young Carers Action Day FAQs

What kinds of responsibilities do young carers typically have?

Young carers often help with a wide range of tasks, which can include practical jobs like cooking, cleaning, shopping, and managing household bills, as well as personal care such as helping someone wash, dress, or move around.

Many also provide emotional support, help with medication, translate or interpret for a family member, or look after younger siblings when a parent is unwell.

The level of responsibility can be high, and some children spend 50 hours a week or more on caring duties.

How common is it for children and young adults to be young carers?

Research suggests that between about 2 and 8 percent of children and young people may have significant caring responsibilities, although some studies report even higher figures.

In the United Kingdom, estimates indicate around 1 million young carers under 18, with thousands of them caring for 50 or more hours each week.

Similar research in Europe suggests that roughly 4 to 10 percent of young people could be young carers, but many are not officially identified, so true numbers are likely higher.

What impact can being a young carer have on education and future opportunities?

Young carers are more likely than their peers to miss school, arrive late, or struggle to complete homework because of their responsibilities, which can lead to lower grades and reduced chances of progressing in education.

Studies also show that young adult carers are less likely to be in employment or higher education than similar young people who do not have caring roles.

These gaps can persist into adulthood, affecting earning potential and long‑term life opportunities.

How does caring affect the mental and physical health of young carers?

Young carers report higher levels of stress, worry, and exhaustion than many of their peers, especially when they provide intense care or feel solely responsible for a family member.

Research has found that children and young people who provide more than 50 hours of unpaid care a week are significantly more likely to say they are not in good health.

Young carers also face higher risks of anxiety, depression, and self‑harm compared with those who do not have caring roles.

What legal rights do young carers have in the United Kingdom?

In the UK, the Children and Families Act 2014 and the Care Act 2014 give young carers specific rights.

Local authorities must identify young carers, assess their needs in their own right, and consider the whole family’s situation.

A young person who provides care is entitled to a young carer’s needs assessment, which should look at whether they are taking on inappropriate or excessive caring and what support would help them stay safe, healthy, and engaged in education.

How can schools and colleges better support young carers?

Specialist guidance for schools recommends actively identifying young carers, having a named staff member responsible for them, and building flexibility into attendance, homework, and deadlines.

Good practice includes offering quiet spaces, access to counseling, and liaison with local carers’ services.

Schools are encouraged to treat pupils as partners in planning support, protect their privacy, and ensure that staff understand how caring can affect concentration, behavior, and participation in school life.

Why are so many young carers “hidden” or not officially identified?

Many young carers are not recognized because families may fear stigma, intervention, or separation, so they do not disclose what children are doing at home.

Young people themselves sometimes see caring as a normal part of family life and do not realize they are entitled to support.

Research also shows that schools, health services, and social care do not always ask the right questions or record caring roles consistently, which means official statistics can significantly underestimate how many young carers there are.

Date	Mar 15, 2023 Mar 13, 2024 Mar 12, 2025 Mar 11, 2026
Founded by	Carers Trust
Tags	Education Healthcare Jobs & Professions People & Relationships
Hashtags	#YoungCarersActionDay
Websites	Young Carers Action Day

When is Young Carers Action Day?

History of Young Carers Action Day