Issue - meetings

Council commends the young people in Cambridge who selflessly provide care for others.

Council notes that:

• Recent research shows that one in five secondary school children may be a young carer. For many, their caring journey begins at a much younger age and can continue past 18.

• Caring for someone can be isolating, worrying and stressful. For young carers, this can negatively impact on their experiences and outcomes in education, having a lasting effect on their life chances. 

• Each year, The Carers Trust has organised a Young Carers’ Action Awareness Day. In 2021 this will be renamed Young Carers’ Action Day and marked on March 16.

• The purpose of the day is to raise public awareness of the challenges faced by young people and young adults because of their caring role, and to campaign for greater support for young carers to meet their needs.

Council resolves to:

• Promote Young Carers Action Day as widely as possible on an annual basis, where possible particularly to young carers and their families.
• To use the Spring edition of ‘Cambridge Matters’ to promote awareness of the valuable work of Centre 33 in supporting Young Carers.
• To work with local businesses and higher and further education providers around Cambridge to promote awareness of young carers and to encourage them to work with The Carers' Trust to promote opportunities and support for this group of people.
• Write to the County Council to express our willingness to form a partner alongside them, in their All Age Carers Strategy, when it is reviewed in 2022.  

Councillor Payne proposed and Councillor Chadwick seconded the following motion.

Council commends the young people in Cambridge who selflessly provide care for others.

Council notes that:

• Recent research shows that one in five secondary school children may be a young carer. For many, their caring journey begins at a much younger age and can continue past 18.

• Caring for someone can be isolating, worrying and stressful. For young carers, this can negatively impact on their experiences and outcomes in education, having a lasting effect on their life chances. 

• Each year, The Carers Trust has organised a Young Carers’ Action Awareness Day. In 2021 this will be renamed Young Carers’ Action Day and marked on March 16.

• The purpose of the day is to raise public awareness of the challenges faced by young people and young adults because of their caring role, and to campaign for greater support for young carers to meet their needs.

Council resolves to:

• Promote Young Carers Action Day as widely as possible on an annual basis, where possible particularly to young carers and their families.
• To use the Spring edition of ‘Cambridge Matters’ to promote awareness of the valuable work of Centre 33 in supporting Young Carers.
• To work with local businesses and higher and further education providers around Cambridge to promote awareness of young carers and to encourage them to work with The Carers' Trust to promote opportunities and support for this group of people.
• Write to the County Council to express our willingness to form a partner alongside them, in their All Age Carers Strategy, when it is reviewed in 2022.  

The Executive Councillor asked to note the Council’s thanks to the following organisations for their support to young carers:

Caring Together

Pinpoint - siblings and carers in Cambridgeshire

Big Sibs at Student Community Action

Young Sibs, a national organisation

Young Carers

The Carers Trust

Resolved (unanimously) to support the motion.