Recent statistics have shed light on an alarming trend towards an increase in young carers here in the UK. According to the 2021 Census more than 120,000 young carer households exist in England and Wales alone. At the same time, Scotland has no fewer than 28,000 young carers of its own. These children, often responsible for caring for family members, neighbors, or friends, face significant challenges that can impede their childhood experiences.
Ryan Duffy, young carers development manager at East Ayrshire Carers, manages an essential service. Through this service, they provide one-on-one assistance and advocacy, plus support for entire families. He’s trying to put a face on the personal toll caregiving takes on these remarkable young people.
As a result of all this added burden, they’re robbed of true childhood experiences, Duffy added.
The situation facing young carers is made much worse by the failure of the UK government to provide targeted support for young carers. Young carer numbers have risen sharply in all four nations of the UK. We do not yet have joined up data for Wales, England and Scotland combined, or even just for Northern Ireland. This gap in data directly affects the broader understanding of the challenges this demographic faces.
The effects of these duties reach far past lost opportunities for a child’s formative years. Young carers regularly experience emotional and psychological distress from the burden of their pressures. Most importantly, millions of Americans live with anxiety and fear about their family members’ lives. Jay Ryan directs a primary prevention mentoring program for boys impacted by domestic violence. He illustrated the difficult emotional landscape these children now have to traverse.
Some of them can be really anxious. They’re really scared to leave mum’s side, Ryan explained. He further elaborated on the dual nature of their experiences, stating, “Then you get the other side where they can be quite aggressive towards women.”
This aggression often stems from internal struggles. Ryan then went on to describe these boys as “very often, really lost, scared little boys—deeply traumatized boys.” So it’s really about understanding what their needs are and making sure that we’re getting them the right support.
In addition to this overall picture, the broader societal context shows some troubling trends in child welfare. Official government statistics suggest that Tower Hamlets has 71% of its children living in income deprived households. This kind of economic hardship makes the already tough situation for young carers even worse. The Crime Survey for England and Wales uncovered a shocking figure. It discovered that 32% of people aged 16 to 59 who experienced domestic violence had children residing in their households.
Kerrie Flood, a former domestic abuse victim and local leader in the fight against such crimes, illustrates the necessity of understanding and intervening in these cases. “Domestic abuse thrives on isolation and secrecy,” she remarked. Flood underscored the fact that there isn’t one profile of those affected by domestic violence. It’s an issue that can affect anyone.
“All it takes is for someone in the room to notice, to offer help and to refer into a service that can support the young person,” she stated.
The innovations we’ve adopted in the Family Fund started from an understanding of what families experiencing imminent homelessness and hunger urgently need. Over the last eight years, it has provided over 130,000 items to families in need. Each family gets a grant within seven days after being referred, so families are never left waiting for long.
Sarah, a mother of five who only became homeless within the last year, told her story. Living in a small, mold-filled two-bedroom home when she first reached out for assistance, she painted the picture of her life. “Since they’ve had their own places to sleep, the difference in the kids is just amazing,” she expressed.
