Following consultation with hundreds of young carers and with input from its Young Carers Advisory Panel, Carers Trust have chosen ‘Give Me A Break’ as the theme for Young Carers Action 2025. The ‘Give Me A Break’ theme for this year’s YCAD allows us to explore two crucial areas of support young carers need.
First, young carers have so much responsibility on their shoulders that they often have little time for themselves and are at serious risk of burnout. They need a break. We know that young carers are significantly more likely to report severe psychological distress then their peers without a caring role. They need time out from their caring responsibilities to rest, recharge and focus on themselves – be it for a hobby, or just spending time with friends, like other people their age.
The ‘Give Me A Break’ theme also speaks to young carers’ need for education professionals and employers to give them a break in life. This could be offering more support at school to young carers, recognising that their responsibilities at home can mean they often feel overwhelmed at having to juggle their caring responsibilities with their schoolwork. By trying to understand these pressures more fully, and helping young carers manage them, education professionals can give young carers the break they need to succeed at school and in further and higher education.
All young carers need is for schools, colleges, universities and employers to give them a break.
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