App to help young carers get the support they deserve
If you’re a young carer, you’re not alone — and there’s support available to help you look after yourself, as well as those you care for.
The young carers support app is a free, award-winning app designed to help young carers find local and national support, learn about their rights, and access practical advice for daily life.
What is a young carer?
A young carer is someone under 18 who helps to care for a family member or friend who needs extra support due to illness, disability, mental health challenges, or substance misuse. This care might involve cooking, cleaning, helping with medication, or offering emotional support. Many young carers do all this while trying to keep up with school and social life too.
Young carers locally
What does the app offer?
Developed with input from young carers themselves, the app brings together trusted information all in one place. It includes:
Advice on mental health and wellbeing
Guidance on your rights as a young carer
Tips for looking after yourself and managing stress
Space to track your mood or caring role
Local links and support services (customised to your area)
Information about education, work, and finances
In North Yorkshire, there are approximately 53,723 unpaid carers. While specific figures for young carers are not detailed in this number, it's recognized that many young people in the region take on significant caring responsibilities. Nationally, estimates suggest that around 1 in 5 children and young people are young carers.
West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership is committed to addressing the inequalities that young carers face. The app enables young carers to access information on how to look after their health and wellbeing as well as support available to them in their caring role, including local the voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations who can offer bespoke advice and support to young people.
The young carers support app was produced by ‘Expert Self Care’, an organisation who provide health information, promote self-care and signpost services through trusted mobile apps, led by Dr Knut Schroeder, a doctor (GP) and health app developer.
As a result of findings from what young carers said, West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership has also launched a support network to help them stay happy, healthy and well. . The local NHS, North Yorkshire Council and Healthwatch ran an awareness raising campaign with local carers organisations across education settings with the aim of reminding teachers to look out for the signs that students may also be carers and that simple things put in place can make their life better – for example keeping their phone on when in lessons.
In the coming months, as we build back better we will be working with our local partner organisations and young carers to listen carefully to how better we can further support young carers so they have every chance in life to fulfil their potential and achieve their ambitions.
Want to know more about the young carers support smartphone app?
The young carers support app is a digital resource designed to assist young carers by providing:
- Information on their rights and the support they're entitled to
- Advice on self-care and managing their wellbeing
- Guidance on balancing caring responsibilities with education and social life
- Details of local support services and groups
The app also includes features like a mood tracker and a journal to help young carers monitor their emotional health.
It's free to download and available on both Apple and Android devices.
The app was developed by Expert Self Care who worked with the West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership (who cover Craven, including Skipton), ensuring it meets the specific needs of young carers.
A young carer is someone under the age of 18 who provides unpaid care for a family member or friend who cannot cope without their support due to illness, disability, mental health condition, or substance misuse. This care can include practical tasks like cooking and cleaning, personal care, emotional support, and managing household responsibilities.
The app, first introduced in 2021, has been put together with young carers following feedback on what support they need to make their caring role easier. Feedback included the importance of virtual anonymous support and advice on how to maintain their physical and mental wellbeing.
Young carers and young adult carers have done an amazing job before and during the pandemic with many finding themselves with increased caring responsibilities coupled with less time spent at school, in college or with friends. Many have found their lives turned upside down with feelings of stress or anxiety heightened, with nowhere to go for support.
