Young Unpaid Carer Recalls ‘Lonely and Isolated’ Teenage Years

A 29-year-old individual, who provided unpaid care and experienced feelings of “lonely and isolated” during their youth, has advocated for greater recognition and a stronger voice for other young carers. Ella McKenzie, residing in St Neots, Cambridgeshire, commenced her caregiving responsibilities for her mother and brother during her teenage years. On Thursday, various events are scheduled throughout the United Kingdom to observe Carers Rights Day, an initiative designed to inform carers about available assistance and support. Helen Walker, the chief executive of Carers UK, a national charitable organization, stated: “As the value of care provided by unpaid carers continues to grow at an incredible rate, we need to ensure they get the recognition and help they deserve.” The Department for Education, responsible for policies concerning young carers, announced an allocation of £2.9 billion in pupil premium funding to offer additional support to this group. A spokesperson for the department commented: “We want to break down barriers to opportunity for all children, and particularly young carers who face additional barriers, to make sure they have the support they need for the best life chances.” According to the 2021 census, the most recent enumeration, 1,825 young carers resided in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. This figure encompasses individuals under 18 years of age who provide care for another person, excluding instances of paid or voluntary employment. Across all age demographics, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough accommodates 68,480 carers, with over two-thirds of these individuals dedicating 35 hours or more per week to caregiving. Miss McKenzie expressed approval for initiatives aimed at emphasizing carers’ rights, stating: “We need to shout about this from the rooftop.” She further added: “I don’t think enough carers know about their rights.” Having started her caregiving duties in her late teenage years, Miss McKenzie noted the difficulty often associated with seeking assistance. She recounted: “I still struggled with tutors who didn’t quite get it, and were pulling me up because I was late or because my brain wasn’t switched on all the time.” Miss McKenzie described the process of forming friendships as “really quite hard,” elaborating: “I felt very lonely and isolated.” She suggested that authority figures “could be better” at recognizing young carers, rather than categorizing them as children who are consistently late or fail to submit homework. “Schools have a big part to play in identifying young carers, but also GPs,” she asserted. Currently, Miss McKenzie is employed by the charity Caring Together, where she assists in organizing respite activities for young caregivers. She shared an experience: “I’m always like, ‘Yep, I still care for my Mum’, and they say, ‘Oh do you?’, and they really relate to you.” Both Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council have implemented new strategies aimed at enhancing the identification and support provided to carers, including those under 18 years of age. Peterborough City Council is conducting workshops this week and next to deliberate on the findings of a recent survey involving unpaid carers and relevant organizations. Shabina Qayyum, the cabinet member for adults and health at the city council, stated: “We want to improve our level of support for carers in Peterborough.” She added: “We understand the vital role they play in keeping residents independent at home for longer and how demanding this can be.” Cambridgeshire County Council has similarly emphasized young carers within its strategy, which is set to continue until 2026. This document referenced research indicating that young carers face a higher propensity for smoking and drug use, achieving lower GCSE results, and experiencing bullying in educational settings. A spokesperson affirmed that the authority is “committed to supporting young carers”. The spokesperson further elaborated: “We’re working to enhance recognition and support for young carers across schools, social care, and health services.”