Young carers met ministers in London yesterday evening (Tuesday) to celebrate their success in gaining major changes to the law after years of campaigning to improve their lives.
More than 30 young carers met Children and Families Minister Edward Timpson and Care and Support Minister Norman Lamb to discuss how best the changes to the Children and Families Bill and Care Bill can be implemented.
Attendees included two young carers from YMCA Isle of Wight Young Carers Service. Katie Rigley, 15 and Chloe Nixon, 16, who attend Sandown Bay Academy, signed-up to the National Young Carers in Focus Programme and gained Young Carers Champion status. Katie and Chloe both aim to support and promote the needs of young carers, particularly those living on the Isle of Wight.
MPs and Peers who supported the campaign also attended the National Young Carers Coalition event, hosted by MPs Barbara Keeley, Robert Buckland and Paul Burstow.
The bills, which are due to come into force this spring, will give the 166,000 children in England who look after their parents, siblings and family members stronger rights to an assessment and support. The new measures mean that when a child is identified as a young carer, the needs of everyone in the family will be considered. This will trigger both children’s and adults’ support services into action – assessing why a child is caring, what needs to change and what would help the family to prevent children from taking on this responsibility in the first place.
Thea Stein, chief executive of Carers Trust, which chairs the National Young Carers Coalition, said:
“This historic change for young carers has been brought about as a direct result of the coalition’s campaign. Now we want to see these changes take effect.
“There are 166,000 young carers in England and it is everyone’s responsibility to make sure the changes make a difference to their lives.”
Article continues below this advertisement
Edward Timpson MP, Children and Families Minister, said:
“Young carers selflessly provide support around the clock for the people they love – often overlooking their own needs and missing out on things their friends take for granted.
“We’ve put in place a much stronger and more consistent system that gives young carers the support they need – protecting them from excessive or inappropriate caring responsibilities and allowing them to enjoy their childhood. They deserve nothing less.”
The coalition wants to see local authorities, the NHS, schools and colleges commit to improving support for young carers. Services for children and adults need to agree how to work together so that so the whole family gets the support it needs.
Photographed from left to right: Isle of Wight Young Carers Katie Rigley and Chloe Nixon, Lucy Capron (The Children’s Society) and Dr Maggie Atkinson (Children’s Commissioner for England).
