Hopes and dreams at the Festival

It would have been easy to ignore the quiet festival of politics amid the loud hubbub of the Fringe. I am glad I didn’t.

Listening to the hopes and dreams of young carers was by far the most inspiring event at the Parliament. Three youngsters talked about what it was like to care for someone in their family. The audience was clearly amazed by what young carers deal with every day. I was completely humbled by these young people; their sense of pride and total commitment to helping their families.

It was soon time for the wake up call. According to latest figures we know there are at least 100,000 young carers in Scotland. That is one in every ten. And they save the public purse 7.6 billion a year. But research shows only 3% currently get any support. According to the latest figures from The Princess Royal Trust for Carers, over 90% said they got no support from their schools or GPs. It’s a shocking indictment.

And with the threat of cuts to services looming, it’s absolutely critical that local authorities sit up and take notice; support is vital to these youngsters. Cuts would have a devastating impact on young carers and the families who depend on them. Improving the care of the family members would have a positive impact on their lives and alleviate their responsibilities. But with services pushed to the brink amid fierce budget cuts and many families living with undiagnosed conditions, the best hope for the families is to give young carers regular breaks, one to one support and a chance to come together and forget about their responsibilities.

Let’s hope the recent Young Carers strategy doesn’t turn out to be a pointless list of targets. Get in touch with Princess Royal Trust for Carers to find out more about young carers.