We were honoured to attend The National Carers Awards in alliance with LloydsPharmacy - an evening dedicated to celebrating the unsung heroes who give their time tirelessly to those they care for.

 The evening kicked off with a powerful and heart-warming speech by Cormac Tobin, who paid tribute to the courageous carers of the UK. The nominated finalists received an all-expenses paid break in London, staying at a five star hotel and attending a gala dinner where they were presented with a trophy. They also received £1,000 worth of high street vouchers. 

It was wonderful to see all the finalists receive their Carers UK Award on stage, presented by Natasha Kaplinsky. But for us, there were two young finalists who really stood out; a young woman called Demi-Elle Khetia, aged18, and a young man called Jamie Byng, aged 21. Demi-Elle, who studies full time in college, cares daily for her parents who both have complex health conditions. Jaimie Byng was also nominated for demonstrating consistent dedication to his grandmother, who he has been looking after for the last four years. 

The devotion, love and care displayed by each of the finalists was exceptionally inspiring, I don’t think there was a dry eye left in the room after hearing all their real life stories! But whilst it was wonderful to celebrate the dedication of the unpaid care workers, it also made me reflect. What else can we do to support young carers? An awards ceremony is great – but who cares for the carers on a daily basis? Caring for an older relative or disabled loved one can be incredibly rewarding, but it can also be tough, lonely and too often carers can lack the support they need and recognition that they deserve. 

New stats reveal that today's teenagers will face almost a decade of caring throughout their lives.  A recent report from the Office of National Statistics suggests that there are 244,000 people under 19 who are carers - about 23,000 of whom are under nine, with girls being slightly more likely to be carers than boys (about 5% are girls and about 4% of boys). The problem is broad and requires more practical support and understanding from all sectors. 

But it is not all doom and gloom. Dedicated Health and Social Care professionals make a huge difference to thousands of lives every single day. Maria Castedo, a pharmacist at LloydsPharmacy in Oldbury is one such hero. Maria was nominated by many of her colleagues and customers for consistently going the extra mile for her customers, one of whom said ‘Maria has a heart of gold – she is one of the kindest, most caring people I know. Nothing is too much trouble for her’.

Are you a Health or Social Care Worker? Do you come into regular contact with unpaid Care Workers? Perhaps you find it distressing to see the hardship that many of them face day to day. We want to hear from you. We are cultivating a space to share resources and advice to improve the lives of Care Workers. Please take a look at some of the helpful links below - and get in touch if you would like to share your own resources too.

Resources

Are you a young carer?

If you are a young carer (or work alongside a young carer) please check out Make Way; Young Carers in Focus online network for young carers. This site offers excellent support and advice.

Do you have a passion to help young carers?

The Children's Society is calling for more government support and recognition for young carers, suggesting that schools have a huge part to play. If you work with young people or have a child in school, please check out how schools can get involved to make a difference. If things are going to change, we need ordinary people to speak up and ask the question – what else can be done to support young carers today?  Let’s continue to work together to raise the visibility of Social Care and give carers a Voice with an impact.

Are you an unpaid family care worker?

If you care for a family member who has learning disabilities, please check out Family Carers – a national charity who strive to give carers a Voice and a better life through linking them to relevant resources and helpful points of contact.

If you have any comments or questions, we would love to hear from you. Please feel free to get in contact by commenting in the feedback box below.