Your County - Putting Kent First

Kent 4 star Council

Contacts

Kent Social Services
Brenchley House
County Hall
Maidstone
Kent ME14 1RF

Telephone icon08458 247 100

Getting in touch

Young carers

Who are young carers?

Young carers come from all cultural, community, ethnic and faith backgrounds, they are under 18, looking after, or helping to look after, a family member suffering from a long term illness, disability or a dependency on substances. They may undertake a range of caring tasks and assume physical and emotional responsibilities normally carried out by an adult.

What does Kent do to help young carers?

Kent has a variety of projects designed to support young carers in the county. These projects offer young carers respite, support, and a chance to enjoy activities with other young carers.

Kent young carers strategy

Kent has produced a young carers strategy, which was launched in July 2008. The strategy, named "Invisible People" by young carers who helped to develop it, seeks to recognise the challenges that young carers face in their everyday lives and aims to support them in achieving their full potential.

The commitments within the strategy will be realised through an implementation plan, delivered by local partnership arrangements. Kent Children's Trust Board and Kent Adult Social Services are committed to ensuring that this takes place and are confident that the strategy provides the crucial starting point for improving the well-being of young carers across the county.

KCC has also produced an information leaflet for young people, summarising the strategy. This leaflet might help you to decide whether you, or someone you know, is a young carer.

Copyright Kent County Council 2008