Young carers call for greater support with Downing Street letter and House of Lords event
A delegation of young carers and young adult carers joined Carers Trust CEO Kirsty McHugh and parliamentarians in Westminster this afternoon to call for greater recognition and support.
The young carers, some of whom had travelled down to London from Sheffield and Stockton-on-Tees, were in Westminster to mark this year’s Young Carers Action Day.
The afternoon started with a trip to 10 Downing Street where the young carers handed in an open letter signed by 83 CEOs as well as more than 300 individuals. The letter, addressed to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, urged him “to ensure that the needs of children and young people who are caring unpaid for friends and family members are being considered so they receive the support they need from across your government.”
The young carers were joined on the steps of 10 Downing Street by Paul Blomfield MP, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Young Carers and Young Adult Carers, and Duncan Baker MP.
The delegation then headed down Whitehall and across Parliament Square for a session in the House of Lords organised by the All Party Parliamentary Group. Parliamentarians at the event - so they could speak to, and hear from, young carers - included the Minister for Social Care Helen Whatley MP, the Shadow Children's Minister Helen Hayes MP, Leader of the Liberal Democrats Sir Ed Davey MP, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Young Carers and Young Adult Carers Paul Blomfield MP, Barbara Keeley MP and Duncan Baker MP.
The MPs were asked to sign our Young Carers Pledge to support unpaid carers with the intention that the pledge will be developed into a Young Carers Covenant.
The session was addressed by Helen Whatley MP and Helen Hayes MP. Both stressed the importance of early identification of young carers and ensuring they are supported within education so they have the same life opportunities as their peers without caring responsibilities.
