Young Carers Action Day 2026

That the Parliament acknowledges that 11 March 2026 marks Young Carers Action Day; welcomes the annual Carers Trust campaign initiative, which encourages as many organisations, communities and individuals as possible to take part in the day by taking action, supporting and raising awareness of young carers; recognises that the 2026 theme, Fair Futures for Young Carers, is a call to ensure that all young carers have the same chance to learn, grow and thrive as their peers; commends the immense contribution that young carers make to society by caring for their family or friends who are ill, frail, disabled or have mental health or addiction problems; believes that caring for someone should not be a barrier to having an equal opportunity in learning, earning or being able to participate and get on in life; recognises that young carers’ responsibilities at home can mean that they often feel overwhelmed at having to juggle their caring responsibilities with their education and social life; notes Carers Trust’s research, which found that half of young carers, including young adult carers, “always” or “usually” feel worried about their future; acknowledges what it sees as the exciting partnership between Carers Trust Scotland and the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, bringing together over 150 young carers to attend a fully subsidised visit to Edinburgh Zoo and take part in Young Carers Action Day awareness-raising activities, as well as enjoy a fun and meaningful short break from caring on 11 March; welcomes the Parliament reception, Our Voice, Our Future – Young Carers in Scotland, which is set to take place on 12 March; believes that this event will provide an opportunity for attendees to hear directly from young carers and carer organisations on the themes of poverty and education and their impact on young carers’ lives; further believes that young carers want lasting, meaningful change to ensure that young carers now, and in the future, remain at the forefront of policy development and have access to the support they require to have a fair future, and wishes all involved in this year’s #YoungCarersActionDay the very best of luck in their endeavours.