Last week, Gloucestershire Young Carers had the incredible opportunity to meet Ed Davey, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Party, and Cameron Thomas, MP for Tewkesbury. The event brought together some of our young carers and a young adult carer, who shared their personal experiences with Ed. He listened with genuine kindness and care, exemplified by Sam’s story,

"[My mum] has mental ill health, so sometimes she can be easily overwhelmed by things. I think it can definitely be quite stressful, but it's definitely helped me develop skills like empathy, resilience, and things like that."

Our Youth Participation Lead, Scott Bailey-Locke, reflected on the significance of the meeting,

“The event was a great opportunity to talk to Ed about the issues facing young carers today and how he and his party can help support them in Parliament and continue to push the rights of young carers nationally. Being a young carer himself, Ed really understands the impact caring has on these young people and was able to reflect on his own experiences and how certain aspects of support have not changed from even when he was a child. He spoke candidly with the group of young people in attendance and really made them feel listened to. It was clear from the feedback that the young people felt like Ed had their back and would be a source of support going forward.

It is vital that all professionals continue to support young carers and raise awareness at all levels. Without the work of these professionals, we can’t help identify those hidden carers we know could benefit from support and continue to improve the support already provided to those identified. From speaking to Ed, it is clear there is still so much we can all do to support these young people and their families.”

Our CEO, Cheryl Rhodes also emphasized the importance of systemic change,

“I got to chat with Ed and Cameron about the important changes we need, like making sure every school understands the role of young carers and supports them properly. It was inspiring to see how much Ed cared about making a difference and taking our messages back to Parliament.”

It is encouraging to see that since the meeting, Ed Davey has written to the Prime Minister, calling for a ‘Young Carers Lead’ in every school. You can read more about this on the Liberal Democrats' website.

In the spirit of raising awareness for young carers, Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey has entered the race for this year’s Christmas number one with Love is Enough. The charity single, created in collaboration with Carers Trust and the Bath Philharmonia, serves as a heartfelt tribute to the dedication of young carers and the profound bond they share with those they care for. You can watch the music video below...

For more on this meeting, visit ITVX and watch the accompanying video.