Vulnerable and hidden Young Carers targeted with new £1million Fund

The Princess Royal Trust for Carers has been appointed by Comic Relief to manage a new £1 million Grants Programme for the development of services for the most vulnerable and hidden young carers.

The 2001 census estimated that there are 175,000 young carers in the UK, including 13,000 caring for over 50 hours per week. But The Princess Royal Trust for Carers believes that the real number of young carers is much higher because the census makes no mention of alcohol or drug problems and many young carers are ‘hidden’ due to the stigma attached to these conditions. Some do not come forward because they and their families are frightened of outside interference and that they may be split up. Many do not even tell their teachers or friends. A lack of awareness amongst many professionals and areas, which lack services, are all contributory factors in the most vulnerable remaining ‘hidden.’

But caring can have a dramatic effect on their lives. Young carers’ health is often severely affected due to lack of sleep and the amount of household chores and physical care they undertake. Almost a third of young carers have serious educational problems with many failing to attain any GCSEs at all. They can suffer loneliness and isolation, suffer verbal taunts and abuse at school, get behind with their homework and eventually become truants.

The Grants Programme will aim to provide high quality direct support to the most vulnerable by prioritising projects which seek to identify and support those young carers who are hard to reach or are from under represented communities such as ethnic minority or refugee communities.

The scheme will be open to ALL voluntary sector organisations (registered charities) throughout England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland who are working with or wish to develop services for those young carers most in need of support. There will be two Grant Programmes – the Large Grants programme giving sums up to £25,000 pa over three years for innovative projects which will not only support young carers but will generate learning about new ways to reach them. The Small Grants programme will make up to 50 awards of to £2,000 for the support of individual young carers. Projects are likely to include mentoring, counselling and other therapeutic work.

Applications will be considered by a panel made up of members of The Trust, Comic Relief and other voluntary sector organisations with knowledge and expertise in this area. Young people will also be involved in the selection process and contribute to the final decisions on funding awards.

Alex Fox, Head of Young Carers Development at The Princess Royal Trust for Carers said:
“We believe that, in an ideal world, no child would have to take on caring roles that are more appropriate for adults. Neither the child nor the cared for person would choose this situation. Sadly, due to low levels of awareness of the issues and patchy support services, this situation is a reality for many children. We hope that this partnership will help many young carers to be able to be children as well as carers.”

He continued, “We also hope that the publicity surrounding the Grants Programme will also raise awareness of the issues amongst the public and prompt professionals such as teachers to identify and support the young carers with whom they come into contact.”

Gilly Green, Head of UK Grants, Comic Relief said “The Princess Royal Trust for Carers has become the largest support organisation in the world for young carers with its network of 81 young carers’ services and YCNet, its 24/7 dedicated young carers’ web site. It is the ideal partner to ensure that this project makes a difference to young carers in this country.”

Applications for Round One of the Large and Small Grants Programme will open on 27th March when further information and application forms will be available on The Princess Royal Trust for Carers web site at www.carers.org/comicrelief or by contacting the Grants Team on 0207 709 1332 or grants@carers.org .
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For further media information please contact Pamela Knight, The Princess Royal Trust for Carers on 01772 733 157/07836 704224 or email: pkhpr@supanet.com
Or Sophie King, Comic Relief on 0207 820 6942

Notes to editors:

1. Young carers are children and young people under the age of 21 who look after someone in his or her family who has an illness, disability, mental health or substance problem. They take on the practical and/or emotional caring responsibilities that would normally be expected of an adult.

2. A national survey conducted in 2004 by Loughborough University Young Carer Research Group found that young carers caring for someone who misuses drugs or alcohol account for only 29% of those supported. National Association for Children of Alcoholics belies there are 920,000 children living with parental alcoholism but few are getting support outside the family.

3. Anecdotal evidence from our projects suggests many young carers miss days off school to care for someone, can fall asleep in class and experience bullying and isolation from their peers.

4. The Princess Royal Trust for Carers has a UK-wide network of 121 independently managed Carers’ Centres supporting 250,000 carers and 13,000 young carers. Our Young Carers services provide advice, mentoring, support with education, clubs and holidays to young carers. Our whole-family approach aims to address the underlying reasons why some young people take on caring responsibilities inappropriate for their age.

5. The Princess Royal Trust for Carers interactive web site for young carers offers information, email support and chat sessions with experts: www.youngcarers.net