Changes to Young Carer support

We want to let you know about a big change coming to the support available for young carers in Hertfordshire from April 2026.

Right now, Carers in Hertfordshire helps young carers in a lot of ways and Hertfordshire County Council pays for much of this work, including providing information and advice, identification, and home visits (assessments).

The Council has decided that they will stop funding our Young Carers Service from the end of March 2026 because it wants to deliver services itself. This move is in line with a Government programme to transform children’s social care in England and have local authorities set up a network of Family Hubs focused on whole-family support and early help.

The details of what this support will be in Hertfordshire are still being developed by the Council.

What the current decision means:

• Carers in Hertfordshire may have to reduce the activities and support we offer to young carers.
• Nothing is changing at the moment. Carers in Hertfordshire will provide the full service until end of March 2026. We are focused on ensuring that young carers and their families remain at the centre of service planning and delivery – as we have done for the last 30 years.
• The support Carers in Hertfordshire provides adult and bereaved carers is also not affected and will continue.
• After March 2026, there may not be a separate specialist Young Carers Service.

Young carers have told us they are worried that they were not involved in the decision being made and that the changes will mean:

• Fewer young carers will be identified and helped.
• They may lose their voice and be overlooked when important decisions are made.
• Support could feel more like being labelled than being part of a caring community.

In a letter the Young Carers’ Council sent to Hertfordshire County Council, the young carers said:

“The current proposal indicates a lack of understanding of what makes a real difference to young carers. This proposal has been made not only without us, but without understanding us. It is clear that there’s a focus on identifying young carers, but not necessarily what comes after. The necessity for identifying young carers is, to us, about all that comes after that identification.”

Young carers want to be asked what they think and to help shape future support.

What we and young carers hope will happen:

• Hertfordshire County Council looks again at its decision. We are speaking to decision-makers and people who can influence them about this.
• Young carers and their families are asked what they think before any changes happen.
• Young carers and their families still get the support they need.

What can you do?

Share your views: Tell us and our Young Carers’ Council how you feel about the changes and how they will affect you. Fill in our feedback form or contact us.

Speak up: If you are worried about what this means for you as a young carer and your family or young carers you support, and you would like to have your voice heard by decision makers, you could:

• Sign up with Hertfordshire County Council to be involved in their focus groups to shape the new-look service.
• Write to your local Hertfordshire County Councillor or MP, and County Councillor Anthony Rowlands, who is Executive Member for Children’s Social Care.

For contact details, visit the Hertfordshire County Council and Parliament websites:

• Find your Hertfordshire County Councillor
• Find your MP

If you do write, it might be helpful to include:

• A bit about you: your name, age, what area you live in.
• A little about your caring role or reason you are interested in this decision.
• What support you have received or need and why this is important.
• What your concerns are about the planned changes.

We’ve made a letter template to help you share what you want to say – get in touch to ask us for this.

If you do write to someone, please consider sharing with us so we can capture your views.