Young carers

A young carer is someone under 18 who helps to look after a relative with a disability, illness, mental health condition, or drug or alcohol problem.

Prior to 2014, young carers in the UK were not recognised or supported in policy or practice despite the documented impacts of their responsibilities on their well-being, education and social activity.

Our research has created greater understanding of the needs and resilience of young carers and their families – and has been used to inform national legislation and guidance as well as services to support them.

Professor Aldridge has been working in this field for more than 25 years. Her research has improved the lives of thousands of young people and their families – and she is credited with establishing the concept of “young carers”.

Her national study – in partnership with TNS-BMRB (now, Kantar) – uncovered the high number of young carers nationwide, described their experiences and needs, the adverse effects of their responsibilities on them, and the difficulties they face in accessing the right support.

A further project explored the potential efficacy of a national Young Carers Recognition Scheme to improve young carers’ access to health and social care services as well as a range of discounts on essentials, including travel and food.

To enhance engagement when working with young people, Prof Aldridge has developed a novel model of participatory research that is creative and bottom up in its approach.

As well as conducting the research that underpins legislation and practical support for young carers, Professor Aldridge strives to raise public awareness. In 2019, she published Can I Tell You About Being A Young Carer? which raises awareness about young carers and the impact caring has on them.

Recognising her contribution to social policy and social care, in April 2015, Professor Aldridge was appointed as a Fellow of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and is also a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences.

In April 2020, with researchers from across the UK, Prof Aldridge launched the Caring through Coronavirus project to understand how carers are coping during the COVID-19 pandemic – and whether changes in policy, legislation, and health and social care provision are truly supporting them.