• Almost a quarter of young carers say no one else can provide the care they do
• Two-fifths worry too much about the person they care for to take a break
• 72% miss out on the school holidays, nearly half miss out on friendships and almost one in five say they’re missing time out of their education

More than half of young carers can’t get a regular break from caring, while almost a quarter say there’s no one else to provide the care they do, an alarming survey has found.

The findings have been released by Carers Trust for Young Carers Action Day on 12 March. The time young carers spend on their caring role means young carers often miss out on education, friendships, holidays and many other things their classmates take for granted, the survey showed.

The survey of 423 young and young adult carers found nearly one in five rarely or never get a break (17%), while 40% said they got one only some of the time. Just 15% said they could take a break whenever they wanted.

Asked what stopped them getting a break, almost a quarter (23%) said there was no one else to provide the care they give. Two-fifths (40%) said they worried too much about the person they care for to take time out from looking after them.

One young carer said:

“I feel bad for taking breaks and when I have time for myself I’m always thinking that I could be doing something else to help out. It’s isolating because I can’t meet up with friends. I can text but it’s just not the same. Everyone’s planning their holidays and trips but I know I can’t go on holiday.”

Almost three-quarters of young carers (72%) said they miss out on the holidays because they provide care, the survey showed.

Many also felt they were shut out of a lot of the things most other children get to do. Nearly half (49%) miss out on friendships, and 46% on hobbies. Almost two-thirds (65%) said they lacked time to themselves and nearly one in five (19%) felt they were missing their education.

Young Carers Action Day is an annual campaign organised by Carers Trust with its network of local carer organisations. It aims to highlight the challenges faced by the UK’s one million young carers (under-18s) and the hundreds of thousands of young adult carers aged 18-25. At least 16,000 young carers in the UK, some just five years old, are caring for 50 hours a week or more, according to the most recent census data.

This year the theme of Young Carers Action Day is “Give Me A Break”. It was chosen by young carers themselves to show their need for respite but also to be given a chance in life by schools, employers and politicians.

Carers Trust is calling on the UK Government to ensure all young carers have access to a properly funded break from their caring role. Politicians, education providers, employers and other organisations are also being asked to sign the Young Carers Covenant, a pledge to help young carers improve their lives.

Kirsty McHugh, Carers Trust’s CEO, said:

“Across the UK, children as young as five are spending huge amounts of their free time caring for others. We know this can have a devastating effect on their education, wellbeing and future prospects. It is simply wrong that, as a country, we are asking so many children to take on so much.

“Those in power need to give young carers a break. If we want young people to thrive, as well as those for which they care, we need to give these young people the chance to take time out from their caring duties.”

Young carers across the UK take their message to governments

On Young Carers Action Day, Carers Trust will be giving a group of young carers a break by taking them on an open top bus tour in London. The bus will be stopping at Westminster where politicians are being invited to hop aboard, meet the children and hear their concerns directly.

The day before, young carers from Hartlepool Carers Centre will hand in a letter to 10 Downing Street. It will ask for the Prime Minister’s support for the Young Carers Covenant and cross-government action to improve opportunities for young and young adult carers.

In Scotland, there will be a mass gathering of young carers at Holyrood where they will meet MSPs, share their experiences and call for more support. There will also be a roundtable discussion with decision-makers about better access to breaks for young carers. A Young Carer Action Day Parliamentary Debate will take place in the Scottish Parliament Chamber with over 100 young carers in attendance.

In Wales, Carers Trust’s Youth Council of young carers supported by local carer organisations across the country will join together at the Senedd. They'll be quizzing MSs about how they can work towards a country where young carers are supported to access the short breaks they need and they'll have a chance to hear from former young carers about the breaks they've had in life in their careers and education. 

For the fifth year in a row, Create and Carers Trust are partnering for a special showcase of artwork made by young carers during four Young Carers Action Day 2025 projects. These have taken place across the four nations of the UK. The online showcase is on the “Give Me a Break” theme and highlights the importance of giving young carers time off from their caring responsibilities to look after their own wellbeing. This year’s showcase will feature puppetry, photography, prints and collages specifically created for the day by young people in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

As we count down to Young Carers Action Day this coming Wednesday, Kingston Carers’ Network is thrilled to host a special workshop led by acclaimed children’s book illustrator Ana Graça. The brilliant Brazilian-born artist and author of Young Carers in Bunnyland is visiting the UK not only to promote her book but also to connect with young carers, gathering their ideas for a follow-up picture book.

Young carers from Kingston played a vital role in the development of Young Carers in Bunnyland, contributing ideas for illustrations and storyline elements. They even chose the book’s title and named its main character, Honey, a six-year-old young carer. Kingston Carers’ Network proudly hosted the book’s launch at our Dream Big event at Chessington World of Adventures on 2 November last year. Since then, Young Carers in Bunnyland has been a runaway success, selling so quickly that it required a reprint just 19 days after its release!

Accompanying the picture book is a pre-assessment workbook, About Me, designed to help our service—along with Kingston’s Early Help Team—facilitate age-appropriate conversations with our youngest young carers.

Our young carers are incredibly excited to reunite with Ana during her visit from Rio de Janeiro, making the most of this wonderful opportunity to share their experiences and ideas once again.

Kingston Carers Network was delighted to see our friends from the Young Carers Illustrations Project presenting at the Houses of Parliament on Monday, 24 February.

MPs attending the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Young Carers and Young Adult Carers heard about the valuable resources developed with our support. These included the world’s first picture storybook for young carers, Young Carers in Bunnyland, and the pre-assessment booklet, About Me.

Our Young carers from Kingston played a key role in shaping these resources, contributing ideas for illustrations and storylines. They even chose the book’s title and the name of its main character—Honey, a six-year-old young carer.

This work was also featured in a joint report with the University of Plymouth on “Younger Young Carers,” which you can view here. 

We’re incredibly proud of our young carers for their creativity and contributions to these groundbreaking resources!

When a loved one is admitted to a ward it can be a daunting and confusing time for their family, friends and unpaid carers. You may feel isolated and confused, and events may feel out of your control. This session provides a space to meet others in similar situations, get information from the ward to help understand your position and gain general pointers on the importance of self-care and how it can support recovery.

What will I get from the course?:

• Develop a better understanding of the ward, where you’re at and what can happen next
• Learn techniques to lower stress and centre yourself
• Understand what resources are available

Wednesday 5th March, 4pm to 6pm, Springfield Hospital, Trinity Building, Seminar Room 2, SW17 0YF

OR

Tuesday 1st April, 4pm to 6pm, Online.

Contact 020 3513 5818 or recoverycollege@swlstg.nhs.uk

These will take place on the last Friday of every month during our regular Tea & Toast event.

Vilma, our Benefits and Tribunal Representative will be available from 9.30am to 10.30am to answer general benefit-related questions. At 11am, Vilma will be available for a one-to-one session, which can include form-filling or support with specific benefit queries.

Please note: The individual support session at 11am must be booked in advance by emailing benefits@kingstoncarers.org.uk.

Proceeds from the event will be shared between Kingston Carers' Network, Momentum, and other Rotary charities. The more tickets bought mentioning KCN, the greater the support for us so gather your friends, family, and colleagues for a fantastic night out!

🔹 Doors open: 6:30 PM
🔹 First race: 7:00 PM
🔹 Tickets: £25 per person (includes fish and chip supper)

To book, transfer £25 per person to the Rotary Club of Surbiton (Account No: 00403323, Sort Code: 30-98-62) using the reference Surname + Race Night + number of seats. Then, email Toni Twaite (family.twaite@gmail.com) with attendees’ names. No paper tickets will be issued — confirmation will be sent via email.

Join us for a night of racing, fun, and fundraising — all for a great cause!

For more information, contact ikrose@gmail.com.

In 2023, Kingston’s Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) reviewed health at all ages in Kingston.

The draft Kingston Joint Local Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2025-28 sets out the priorities proposed for action across the Kingston Partnership Board using data from the Kingston Joint Strategic Needs Assessment.

The new draft strategy does not cover all aspects of health and wellbeing in Kingston, but a small number of priority areas for the Board to take joint action on. These priorities have been set out in three life stages:
Start Well - birth to 19 years
Live Well - working age adults, 20 to 64 years
Age Well - older adults, 65 years and over

Share your thoughts
You can share your feedback on the draft Kingston Joint Local Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2025-28 by completing the survey on the Kingston Let’s Talk website.

If you are involved in local groups and forums that would like to share their thoughts, please ask them to get involved too.

If you have any questions or if you need the documents in an alternative format, please get in touch by emailing jlhws@kingston.gov.uk OR calling the council’s contact centre on 020 8547 5000 and ask for a member of the Public Health team to call you back.

We’re proud to be supporting Neurodiversity Celebration Week 2025! 

This week is all about challenging misconceptions, breaking down barriers, and celebrating the incredible strengths and talents of neurodivergent individuals. 

Together, let’s create a more inclusive world that understands and champions neurodiversity in all its forms.

From Neurodiversity Celebration Week:

This year we're bringing you more panel discussions than ever before, with inspirational speakers from a range of backgrounds and professions. The discussions will all be focussing on key neurodiversity topics, and aim to educate while inspiring conversations about neurodiversity.

All events are free of charge and open to all. Please do sign up to as many events as you like and share with your networks, so we can all join together in celebrating different minds!

Please note that these events are being recorded, to increase accessibility for all around the world. Links to the recordings will be sent via email post-event, so please make sure you register for the events so that you don't miss out! Find out more...