Young Carers Illustrations Project
Young Carers Illustrations Project
Research Projects
Our work is part of a growing, international effort to better understand and support younger young carers around the world.
Young Carers In Early Childhood
Young Carers in Early Childhood
Our Young Carers Illustrations Project is working very closely with the University of Plymouth’s Young Carers in Early Childhood programme led by Carly Ellicott. The World Health Organisation defines “Early Childhood” as 0-8 years and the needs and circumstances of young children with caring responsibilities from this age range are all too often overlooked and there is a need for more research in this area.
Our projects have very similar goals and are focused on promoting conversations with our youngest young carers and ensuring their voices are heard. Consequently we have decided to make “common cause” in seeking to ensure that the needs of these little children are not overlooked..

Much of what we know about the impact on young carers lives is derived from researchers’ interviews with them and also when these children speak out through engagement processes. Such research has been crucial, in demonstrating that there are very many more young carers than are identified in the government Census. This appears to be because one gets very different answers when asking children directly about their caring responsibilities, as compared to when adults are questioned about this.
To date though, very few opportunities have been created for young carers in early childhood to voice their experiences. As a consequence, we know much less about the impact caring responsibilities have on society's youngest carers and their families. There is a danger that society neglects to acknowledge children in early childhood when they think of who young carers are likely to be.
Research undertaken by Carly indicates that current awareness of young carers does not extend consistently into practice for professionals working with families and children in early childhood. Her research programme is aimed at closing a significant gap in our knowledge about the lives of our youngest young carers. and so we believe this work to be extremely important.
Carly Ellicott who is pictured (featured left/ elow?) with artist and author Ana Graça. ​ Carly’s research will include analysing feedback about use of publications and illustrations from our project. You can read more about the research programme including how to contact Carly and her team by clicking here https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/research/psychology/young-carers-in-early-childhood-programme
Outputs from Carly’s research published to date started with a literature review in the Healthcare Journal https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11817451/
This has been followed by a paper in the Family Science Journal describing the experiences of some carers from their early childhood https://www.mdpi.com/3042-6693/1/2/8
Carly is currently analysing materials submitted by and on behalf of younger young carers and will be reporting further with her conclusions later on in 2026.
MYTIME Young Carers
We were excited to read an excellent new research paper: “Born to Care: Understanding the Experiences of the Youngest Young Carers” authored by MYTIME Young Carers Level Up Coordinator, Jo Cooper.
The term “Younger Young Carers” has been coined within the Young Carers Alliance to describe young carers in early childhood (0 to 8 years old). This new report is a hugely important contribution to the developing conversation about how to ensure proper identification and support for these children. It contains important recommendations for our “Early Years” sector.
There are no lower age limits for the rights of young carers and yet many local authorities act as if there were. In some areas, commissioned services do not even start until age 8; unlawfully ignoring the needs of young carers in both early years and at key stage one in primary schools. All too often, children are missing support or recognition, sometimes waiting for as much as 10 years before receiving support.
The existence of very young children caring is not a rare exception but is commonplace across the whole of the UK. We look forward to working with Jo and others to ensure that these children have their needs recognised and supported.
