Hansard

I am very pleased to bring this motion to allow the Parliament to recognise young carers action day 2025 and to pay tribute to the many thousands of young unpaid carers across Scotland. I am delighted, as I am sure everyone across the chamber is, that we are joined in the gallery by so many young carers from across Scotland. [Applause.] Our Thursday sessions are always long because of First Minister’s question time, so I appreciate that some folk might have popped out for a comfort break and will join us again, but it is great to see the gallery so full.

I also offer huge thanks to all those at Carers Trust Scotland for co-ordinating this young carers action day and getting all the young people here today, and for all the work that they do year round to support young carers. I know that many young carers have often said that they feel invisible; they feel that they are not seen, heard or talked to, particularly by politicians. That is why it is important that so many young carers are here today, in their Parliament, to hear their representatives fronting up to the challenges that they face, listening to their views and saying what we can do about it.

The Scottish Government estimates that, across Scotland, there are at least 30,000 carers under the age of 18. That is probably a significant underestimate, as other studies have suggested that there could be as many as 100,000 young carers in Scotland. In today’s debate, there will be a number of asks for the minister to respond to, and I know that she will be listening acutely to the many views that will be expressed by colleagues across the chamber and by the young people themselves.

I will kick off by asking how confident the Scottish Government is in its estimates, what the barriers are to getting an accurate understanding of the number of young carers in Scotland and what has been done to address the challenges that exist in the data. The first step in providing all the support that young carers need and deserve is to have an accurate picture of who they are and where they are, so it is critical that we get identification data correct.

Young carers who provide support for their family, friends and other members of their extended network due to illness, disability, mental health problems, addiction or any other number of challenges have to deal with so much additional responsibility over and above the education, training or work that they might be in. They also need time to simply enjoy being a young person and doing all the things that young people should do. Often, they take on burdens that no young person should have to take on at their age, with consequences for their own health, both mental and physical, and for their ability to get the most out of the opportunities that are afforded to young people, most notably education and training.

That is why the theme of this year’s young carers action day is “geezabreak”. Young carers have so much responsibility on their shoulders that they often have little time for themselves and are at serious risk of burnout. They need a break, and we know that young carers are significantly more likely to report severe psychological distress than their peers without a caring role. The need for time out from their caring responsibilities to rest, recharge and focus on themselves, be it through a hobby or just spending time with friends or other people their own age, is so important.

The “give me a break” theme also speaks to young carers’ need for education professionals and employers to recognise their caring responsibilities and to give them a break in life. That could be by offering young carers more support at school, in recognition of the fact they often feel overwhelmed from having to juggle their caring responsibilities at home with coursework, exams or just being present on school days. In that vein, just yesterday, I was contacted by a constituent in my village of Neilston, who asked about the support available to young carers in schools. I think that that constituent is in the gallery today, so I am glad to be able to raise the issue.

The evidence from young carers on their struggles at school is clear and compelling. Forty-seven per cent of student carers said that attending classes was challenging; 49 per cent said that they are never, or not often, getting help at school, college or university to balance caring with their education; and 87 per cent said that concentration on assignments and work at home was challenging. Support in education is vital not just for lightening the load of caring duties in that moment, but also for the young person’s longer-term future and ensuring that life opportunities are not permanently stunted during a critical phase of any young person’s life.

In closing, the minister could perhaps say something about support in schools and putting in place training for teachers to be able to properly identify and deal with young carers in a safe and comforting way. She might also mention what guidance is available to schools and teachers on how to engage with young carers to ensure that they are not inadvertently adding to the weight on their shoulders. I know that the minister is answering today, but I appreciate, too, that it will take a cross-Government response. Indeed, I am keen to see such engagement across Government, because it is vital that everyone takes responsibility for supporting young carers.

Beyond education, young carers in general need respite, as I have said. Again, the evidence on the pressure that they are under is clear from the 2023 Carers Trust survey. Fifty-two per cent always or usually feel stressed because of being a young carer or a young adult carer; 25 per cent either never or do not often feel that they are getting enough sleep; 43 per cent of young carers or young adult carers have said that caring always or usually affects how much time they spend with their friends; and more than half of young carers or young adult carers always or usually feel worried about their future. It is very clear from those stark statistics on the views of young carers that they need a break. They need time to enjoy hobbies; they need to spend time with friends and take time for themselves for their own health and wellbeing.

I want to sum up by recognising the work done by Carers Trust and the myriad other organisations in Scotland to provide opportunities for young people for that break. The young carers festival in Scotland, for example, has been so beneficial to so many carers over the past 18 years. I know that many colleagues in the chamber will have attended it, engaged with young people there and seen all the fun activities that go on.

As I have said, there are examples of organisations and projects across all our regions and constituencies that are providing support to young carers so that they can have that break. It could be as simple as having a protected evening for young people to come together, to share time with other young carers or friends to talk about their similar experiences, or even to switch off. In East Renfrewshire, having a pizza, being able to watch a film with friends or just hanging out is very valuable. It might seem very simple to all of us, but it is all about the added thought process that must go into that sort of thing when someone is a young carer.

I thank all the young carers in the gallery today and the young carers across Scotland for all the effort that they put into supporting family members, friends and those whom they care for, and for playing a vital role in ensuring that we have more resilient and stronger communities. We must all resolve to do all that we can, across the chamber and across party political lines, to support young carers. I hope that that is what we will hear in this debate.