What is young carers action day?
Young Carers Action Day is an annual event organised and led by Carers Trust. It is a day of raising awareness and supporting young carers, and many organisations, communities, schools and individuals are encouraged to take part and show their support!
Anyone can support Young Carers Action Day by posting on social media using #YoungCarersActionDay.
Taking place on Wednesday 12th March 2025, this year’s theme is “Give Me A Break”, focusing on the importance of young carers’ need for rest and respite.
For those who wish to host an event, there are plenty of digital resources for you to share and use at your own events. Download them by clicking here.
Watch the videos below of young carers in Solihull, openly sharing with us their caring roles, the obstacles they face in education and their desire to rest and have fun, like all children and young people should be able to.
The average age of a young carer in Solihull is 11 years old.
what are our plans In Solihull?
Food, Fun, Facepaint, Fur & Fantastical Feats!
To celebrate this year’s theme, “Give Me A Break”, we are hosting a day of celebrating young carers with fun and rest! Thanks to tremendous funding of £750 from Carers Trust plus Solihull Council, we will be able to pull out all the stops and give young carers a day they will never forget!
We can’t forget how important it is for young carers to be with other young people, and that will be at the forefront of the day, as they all get the chance to enjoy the wonders of youth – together!
We’re going to be treating our young carers to some of their favourite activities, including fun and vibrant face painting, the always exciting and educational animal man with his collection of feathered, furry, winged, and slithery friends! Then of course, we can’t forget the real magic of the day with a hilarious and mesmerising magician to astound and delight! Maybe they’ll work together with the animal man to pull more than a rabbit from a hat! All with delicious food – yum!
44% of young carers "always" or "usually" feel stressed due to their caring role
School Celebrations
We have invited schools to get involved and have their own celebrations and events for Young Carers Action Day!
It will be a fantastic way for young people in schools to come together and understand what support staff are available in their schools. To help with making the celebrations as fun-filled as possible, schools will be able to apply for £200 funding from us! (Deadline expired)
We have plenty of digital resources for you to download, which you can find by clicking here
During the funding application phase, we had lots of schools in Solihull apply, and we are so happy to have them all on board with the celebrations:
1 in 5 pupils are young carers
Grace Academy Secondary School – Are hosting a creative workshop e.g. painting or pottery, with refreshments to bring young carers together with pastoral staff, school nurse and SOLAR mental health
Our Lady of Wayside Primary School – Will purchase a book, game or craft activity for young carers to share with the person they care for. They’re also going bowling or rock climbing together with support staff in school.
Meriden Primary School – Are hosting an afternoon tea for young carers and their families with professionals linked with school, governors and the school vicar.
Arden Academy Secondary School – Will commission artwork created by their design department and young carers – to be displayed in the school canteen. The artwork will signpost young carers to key staff members in school and inform them of what’s in place in school, such as young carers drop-ins.
Fordbridge Community Primary School – Will celebrate by having a trip out with young carers and support staff to the cinema with snacks and refreshments.
Smiths Wood Academy – Are hosting a young carers wellbeing and connection event with a creative activity, food, wellbeing goody bags and support staff in attendance.
Lyndon School – Hosting a mindful activity, such as cooking. Purchasing books to read in a designated quiet area and journals to help organise their thoughts and feelings.
John Henry Newman – Holding a pizza get-together for young carers to meet each other and their support staff.
Raising Awareness in Schools
We are hosting a talk to staff at John Henry Newman about young carers.
We are talking to pupils and parents about young carers at Windy Arbor School
We are partnering up with Birmingham Young Carers to hold exhibition stands to raising awareness of young adult carers and giving out party packs at 2 colleges – Woodlands Campus and Solihull College.
Sixth form college are also hosting an exhibition stand for young adult carers – giving out lots of goodies
Our Health Liaison Worker will issue young carers packs and information at Solihull Health Partnership Carers Coffee morning – who have made a FANTASTIC commitment to young carers over the next few months – watch this space!!!!!
56% of young carers aged 5 - 17 years old live in solihull
Family Hubs
Family Hubs are local centres where children, young people, parents, and carers can access support and take part in fun activities!
We are active users of the Family Hubs, and we want to make sure that every young person using Family Hubs is aware of the support available to them. Leading up to and beyond Young Carers Action Day, we will be sharing our information and how we can help young carers (and all carers).
36% of young carers report being bullied due to their caring role
School Forums
We will be launching an online forum for dedicated lead professionals who support young carers in schools, so that together, we can support young carers in education.
Young carers school leads can also get the support they may need by working towards the Young Carers in School Award. This is a national scheme that runs locally to equip schools to identify-engage-support-refer young carers in education settings – with the support of Carers Trust Solihull.
The forum will be a networking platform for schools and Carers Trust Solihull to share good working practice, and to provide information and guidance so young carers are heard, seen and receive the support they need in education.
16% of young carers aged 5 - 17 years old are the primary caregiver
MORE INFORMATION COMING SOON
our celebrations
What does having a break mean to you?
We asked our young and young adult carers, what it means to them to be able to take a break from their caring responsibilities. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so let us show you just how important it is to let young people, be young people, with the video below.
JLR Shifts Gears for Young Carers!
Our Young Carers Action Day revved to life with incredible donations from JLR!
A BIG barrier for young carers to accessing support and events and activities is transport. They are usually from low incomes families or maybe disability prevents parents from driving. To help those young carers access support, respite and events, JLR have donated us with a brand new and top of the line vehicle, as well as £10,000!
We can not thank the fantastic people of JLR enough for this incredible generosity!
MORE CELEBRATIONS COMING SOON!
resources
Our Young Carers Action Day 2025 resources are available below. These resources are designed to help everyone get involved in Young Carers Action Day 2025 — young and young adult carers, their friends, professionals who may interact with young carers, and local carer organisations.
Check out the downloadable materials and get ready to support Young Carers Action Day 2025!
To raise awareness about who young carers are and why they need more support
- Awareness-raising poster for young people
- Awareness-raising poster for young people (alternate version)
To help you tell really engaging stories that connect your audience to young carers.
Resources for local carer centres
PosterTo raise awareness about who young carers are and why they need more support Storytelling guide
To help you tell really engaging stories that connect your audience to young carers. Young Carers in Education Guide
To send to your contacts in schools, colleges or universities to help them better identify and support young and young adult carers.
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“Cloud Dancer ” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
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