APPG launches inquiry to explore the impact of caring on the life opportunities of young people

Inquiry will amplify the voices of young carers and their families and must lead to more support, says Parliamentary Group chair

The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Young Carers and Young Adult Carers has launched an inquiry to explore the impact of caring on the life opportunities of young people.

Led by Duncan Baker MP and supported by a group of young and young adult carers from across England, the inquiry will examine how both young carers (aged under 18) and young adult carers (aged 18 to 25) are affected by their role across a wide range of aspects of their lives.

With recent research showing that young and young adult carers are 38 per cent less likely to get a degree than others their age, and that those caring for 35 hours or more a week are 46 per cent less likely to enter employment than non-carers, the inquiry will explore –

Short-term impacts: How are young carers and young adult carers’ immediate life opportunities impacted? This includes areas such as –

• access to education;
• support for young carers and their families (including Young Carers Needs Assessments);
• support for mental health of young carers and young adult carers; and
• being able to have time away from caring.

Long-term impacts: How does caring impact opportunities for young carers and young adult carers as they enter adulthood? This will cover –

• access to further and higher education, training and employment;
• support for young adult carers in the workplace;
• support for young adult carers (including Transitions Assessments and specific support for young adult carers); and
• other key areas such as housing and finance.

On the launch of the inquiry, APPG chair Paul Blomfield MP said – 

'Over the past year, we have heard from young carers across the country. Each time, they have powerfully told us how being a young carer impacts their lives and how they need better support – whether that be in education, with their mental health, or the opportunity to just be children. The fact that there are still children as young as five providing more than 50 hours of care a week is something which simply has to change. This inquiry will amplify the voices of young carers and their families and must lead to more support for them.'

The deadline for responding to the APPG's online call for evidence is 23 July 2023, and the deadline for the submission of evidence from young carers is 31 August 2023.

For more information, see APPG on Young Carers and Young Adult Carers – Inquiry into life opportunities from Carers Trust who are providing the Secretariat for the inquiry.