Our story
Take a minute to read the beginnings of YCNV and all of our achievements!
2017
Sheffield Young Carers’ Action group met their local MPs.
After this meeting, Sheffield Central MP Paul Blomfield became an advocate for young carers.
2018
With the help of Paul Blomfield MP, Sheffield Young Carers’ Action group met the then Prime Minster Theresa May.
2019
Paul Blomfield led a debate about young carers in the Houses of Common.
Later that year, Paul Blomfield and Sheffield Young Carers organised a meeting in Parliament for Young carers organisations from across England to discuss the support needed for young carers with MPs and members of the Lords.
It was at this meeting that the idea of YCNV was created!
2020
YCNV held it’s first meeting and agreed to campaign to improve identifying and supporting young carers in education settings.
The resources we created as part of this campaign have been shared with over 2000 schools in England!
2020
With Action for Carers Surrey we also produced the report ‘Young Carers’s Rights: Making them real’.
It called for the following:
Young carers to be included in the Health and Care Bill
Young carers to be included in the annual school census
Every school has a Young Carer Champion.
The first two have been achieved!
2021
In our second year of the network (2021-22), we chose to focus on improving identification and support in mental health services. We created resources to be used by professionals.
2022
In our third year, we agreed to focus our campaign on simple ways schools can help young carers.
The poster we created this year was shared with over 2000 schools and colleges in England!
2022
We also met with the All Party Parliamentary Group and the Children’s Commissioner to share our experiences.
We also presented at the launch of the national Young Carers Alliance.
2023
Our fourth campaign focused on reducing the impact of caring on young carers’ health and wellbeing.
We also contributed to the first-ever report by the APPG for young carers and young adult carers.
2024
Our campaign focused on current focused on young carers being identified in schools earlier. We also want to get Ofsted to ask about young carers in school inspections.
We created a national assembly resource pack to be used in secondary schools.
We also wrote a letter to the HMCI of Ofsted.
Suffolk Family Carers
"The YCNV is a safe space where I have observed the Young carers feel encouraged and empowered to speak their mind and have their ideas acknowledged and responded to. The participants feel comfortable to share their opinions and to speak up if they have a difference of opinion."
