Today (Wednesday 15th March) is Young Carers Action Day (YCAD) 2023, an annual campaign day organised by Carers Trust Scotland with the aim of raising awareness of young carers and young adult carers and the immense contribution they make to their families and local communities.

YCAD also provides an opportunity to push for improved support for these children and young people at local and national levels and Martin Whitfield MSP has joined colleagues in welcoming the day and pledging his support for young carers.

This year’s theme is ‘Make Time for Young Carers’. This was chosen after Carers Trust spoke with hundreds of young carers and young adult carers, including at the Scottish Young Carers Festival in summer 2022, and the one issue that kept coming up was just how important their health and wellbeing is to them.

What young carers told Carers Trust was that they think the things that would make them feel less overwhelmed, healthier and happier are:

  • improved support in schools
  • more access to breaks
  • better access to counselling support
  • and more financial support.

The charity’s new “Being a young carer is not a choice; it’s just what we do” research has just launched to coincide with Young Carers Action Day. The research found the devastating impact of the cost-of-crisis and increasing intensity of caring responsibilities on children and young adults.

Martin Whitfield MSP said: 

“I welcome Young Carers Action Day and the important work Carers Trust Scotland undertakes with and for young carers and young adult carers across Scotland.

“We know it’s easy for young carers to start feeling overwhelmed because of everything they need to do for their caring role on top of all their education, employment or other parts of their lives.

“That’s why this year’s theme is so important and why it is vital to make time for young carers and help them to get the support they need to have a fair chance to prosper in all aspects of their lives.”

Find out more about Young Carers Action Day at https://carers.org/young-carers-action-day-2023/young-carers-action-day-2023-1