Young Carers Alliance Resources

Information and support for young carers

All of the below are UK-wide unless they state otherwise.

Find your local young carers service – Find out what support is available for young carers in your local area.

Contact

Support for families of disabled children. Information for parents. Helpline and workshops for parents. Occasional activities/trips for families and an active Facebook page.

Family Fund

Grants for families of disabled or seriously ill children.

Over the Wall

Over The Wall is a UK based charity for children with serious illness and disabilities, and their families, to discover a world of mischief and magic. A place where they can be brave and have fun with others. These amazing places are physical – in residential camps and also available online – with Camp in the Cloud and Camp365. And what’s more, it’s all free!

Sense

Sense run virtual book clubs, games nights and online wellbeing sessions. They also run online workshops on different topics for young people and their parents. 

Sidekick

Sidekick is an anonymous and confidential text helpline service for young carers aged 13-18 run by Action for Children.

SIBS

They are a charity for brothers and sisters of disabled children and adults. They have information for young siblings but also run online workshops for siblings.

Young Carers Support App

A free app designed with young carers which has information and self-care tips for young carers. Young carers/parents/professionals do not need to register or provide any information to access it.

Awareness-raising/policy

Barnardo’s Action with Young Carers – Being a young carer

Barnardo’s Action with Young Carers – You Can Help

Barnardo’s | Young Carers | #LifeStory – Laura – YouTube

Barnardo’s | Young Carers | #LifeStory – Jenny – YouTube

Barnardo’s | Young Carers | #LifeStory – Caitlin – YouTube

Barnardo’s | Young Carers in Northern Ireland talk about the support they receive – YouTube

  • Young Carers added to the schools’ census:

Young Carers and the Schools Census Comms Pack [PDF, 345kB]

Examples of Young Carer Policies and models of support [PDF, 486kB]

Young Carers Checklist for schools [PDF, 74kB]

Practice

Research and surveys

Full report – International Journal of Care and Caring – Cross-national study of adolescent young carers aged 15–17 in six European countries [PDF, 355kB].

News story – Study shows three in 10 adolescent young carers in the UK think about self-harming.

Full report on the Carers Trust survey It’s harder than anyone understands [PDF, 9.5MB].

  • Caring Together – Snapshot survey of young carers around identification and support – February 2022 –

Policy briefing document – From caring to support – we still need to close the gap for young carers [PDF 158kB]

Overview of findings presentation – Caring Together Young Carers snapshot poll – Feb 2022 [PDF, 190kB]

News story – Members of House of Lords ‘lost in admiration’ of young carers and determined to bring about change