Local charity Gloucestershire Young Carers are setting themselves a Young Carers Awareness Day challenge of visiting 30 of the county’s schools in one day - all to raise awareness of the inequality faced by young people who support ill or disabled family members. Young Carers Awareness Day will take place across the country on Thursday, January 30^th and Gloucestershire Young Carers will be setting an example for the county by ensuring they meet with as many school Young Carers Leads as possible.  The aim of this is to provide them with the resources they need to identify and support young carers.  

Young Carers are twice as likely to be not in education, employment or training at 16 and, on average, achieve five grades less at GCSE. Identifying and supporting young carers in schools has never been more important and Gloucestershire Young Carers are continually working to ensure that young people have Young Carers Leads in school – members of staff supported by the charity to put in place the right response and right support.  

The charity will be visiting schools with information in the form of posters and leaflets that staff in schools can display to encourage young people struggling with challenges at home to reach out for support.  

Hana Gill, Gloucestershire Young Carers’ Development Manager for Education and Participation, says: “We know that young carers are more at risk of failing to achieve at school and that they experience challenges entering the world of education and work.  But we also know that with the right support they can thrive and achieve in spite of the extra responsibilities they have compared to their peers. We work very closely with the Young Carer Leads in Gloucestershire’s schools to ensure there is support in every area of a young carer’s life.”