Young Carers Development Trust

Young carers are often hidden. An estimated one in five children in the UK are young carers (c.1 million), although just under 54,000 are officially recorded. As a result of their caring responsibilities, young carers are often absent from school, missing on average over a month from school per year. This can result in academic underachievement, social isolation, and poor mental health. This means that young adult carers are more likely not to be in education, employment or training, compared with their peers.

Young Carers Development Trust addresses barriers to meaningful employment using a unique, tailored, long term support programme of personal mentoring, aspirational visits, peer support sessions, mental health and educational support over an average of four years, to help young carers in the South West to reach their full potential and access opportunities they would not normally receive or even think they could attain.

This grant will help Young Carers Development Trust to continue their core work in supporting young carers into meaningful employment/education as they transition from school to adulthood.