What is the Welsh Government doing to support young carers in Pembrokeshire?
I am aware of the daily challenges faced by young carers in providing care for their family members. Local Authorities have a statutory duty to support young carers and to ensure their needs are being met.
Our Health and Social Care Regional Integration Fund is a five-year programme that provides an additional £147 million per annum to Regional Partnership Boards to drive sustainable system change and new models of care. We expect five per cent of the total investment to be spent on activity that directly supports unpaid carers of all ages. £1million per annum is also ringfenced to provide information and support for carers when the person they are caring for is in hospital.
We also provide support via programmes to help all unpaid carers in Wales. This includes our £9million (2022-2025) Short Breaks Scheme, which provides adult and young carers with opportunities to take a break from their caring role to relax and pursue their own interests. Funding for Short Breaks is delivered through Regional Partnership Boards and Carers Trust Wales and distributed to organisations that can deliver opportunities for young carers, such as the ‘Outdoor Partnership’ in Pembrokeshire.
The Short Breaks scheme has attracted carers who were not previously known to services, evidencing the additional value of the scheme, in connecting carers with support services.
Our Carers Support Fund, which is worth £4.5million over three years (2022-2025), supports unpaid carers facing additional financial pressures. Young Carers are eligible to apply for this funding.
The Young Carer ID card has been available across Wales since April 2022. The Welsh Government provided over £600,000 to support roll-out of the card in each local authority area. The card is a key tool to help young carers identify themselves to staff in schools, colleges and pharmacies.
We have established a Young Carers Advisory Board comprised entirely of young carers. A representative of the Board sits on the Ministerial Advisory Group for Unpaid Carers. This allows us to consider issues raised by young carers and ensure their views shape future actions.