Liberal Democrat Councillors will be calling on Oldham Council to mark Young Carers Action Day in 2021.  Councillor Hazel Gloster and Louie Hamblett will be proposing a motion to the next full meeting of the Council (Wednesday 16 December) requesting a local event be held in the Borough as part of a new national campaign to recognise and support young carers.

Young Carers Action Day will be held on 16 March 2021.  It is a new event being organised nationwide by the Carers Trust, replacing a previous annual Awareness Day held on 30 January.

Councillor Hazel Gloster, who will be proposing the motion, said: “Research indicates that up to one in five secondary school children may be a carer for grandparents, parents or siblings, and that many of the children begin caring from a very young age.  Caring is a huge responsibility having an impact on a young person’s schooling, ability to maintain friendships, physical health and emotional well-being.  It is often a responsibility that is carried out alone and without support.”

“Good work is already being done in Oldham through the Young Carers Project and we want to see the Action Day used as a way to recognise the efforts of young carers and to ensure that all of our Borough’s agencies offer them their full support.”

This motion represents another part of an ongoing Liberal Democrat campaign following on from Carers Right Day, 26 November, when the Leader of the Oldham Council Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, wrote to the Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham asking him to make young carers eligible for free bus travel across the city region.

Councillor Louie Hamblett, who will be seconding the motion, added:  “The Liberal Democrats are committed from the Leader, Sir Ed Davey MP, down, in Parliament and in councils across the country to fighting for a better deal for carers, whether young people or adults.” 

“During the Covid-19 pandemic, the efforts made by carers in supporting family members who are battling physical or mental illness, or otherwise living with disabilities or are substance dependant, have been truly astounding and we must all do more to recognise and support them in these most trying times.”

Council 16 December 2020 – Notice of Opposition Business – Young Carers Action Day

Council commends the young people in this borough who selflessly provide care for others.

Council notes that:

• Recent research shows that one in five secondary school children may be a young carer. For many, their caring journey begins at a much younger age. 

• Caring for someone can be very isolating, worrying and stressful. For young carers, this can negatively impact on their experiences and outcomes in education, having a lasting effect on their life chances.

• Each year, The Carers Trust has organised a Young Carers’ Action Awareness Day. In 2021 this will be renamed Young Carers’ Action Day and marked on March 16.

• The purpose of the day is to raise public awareness of the challenges faced by young people and young adults because of their caring role, and to campaign for greater support for young carers to meet their needs.

Council resolves to:

• Promote Young Carers Action Day as widely as possible on an annual basis, particularly to young carers and their families.

• Ask the Health and Wellbeing Board to work with the Carers’ Trust, the Connexions Young Carers’ Project and the Youth Council to establish an annual event in Oldham to mark this date to which young carers and their families can be invited in person or online, and at which appropriate information and services can be accessed.

Proposed by:                                                                 Seconded by:

Councillor Hazel Gloster                                Councillor Louie Hamblett