HOW CREATE USES CREATIVITY TO SUPPORT YOUNG CARERS
Young carers often grow up balancing school, friendships and childhood alongside significant responsibilities at home. Across the UK, 51% of young carers provide more than 20 hours of care each week, supporting family members with illness, disability or mental health challenges.
This responsibility can bring stress, isolation and limited opportunities to focus on themselves.
Create’s programmes with young carers provide something vital: time and space to step away from their caring role to connect with others in similar situations and explore their creativity in activities led by our with professional artists.
Through workshops across the UK, young carers discover new skills, build friendships and gain self-confidence.
Finding freedom through creativity
Over three days in October 2025, Maya* (11) took part in an inspired:arts ceramics and sculpture project with our artist Sam Haynes in Hammersmith. During the project, Maya explored creativity through storytelling and sculpture.
For Maya, caring for her mother with fibromyalgia has meant spending a lot of time at home:
“I’ve been caring for my mother [since I was nine years old].”
“I don’t have many chances [to be creative] at the moment. Going out is a bit of a struggle.”
Maya, young carer
For Maya, the project offered a sense of freedom and space for expression:
“I was given the freedom to do whatever I liked, in my own way. I enjoyed [doing the ceramics] because it was very therapeutic and stress-free. [Projects like these] help people express what they feel. Sometimes people bottle it up. [Expressing it] can make you feel like you can spread your wings, you can just be who you are.”
Rediscovering confidence and connection
In November 2025, Lucinda* (15), who cares for her mother with multiple chronic illnesses, took part in an inspired:arts ceramics project in Hillingdon, led by our artist Teresa Paiva. She described how creative workshops can provide an important emotional outlet:
“Working with clay has been very therapeutic. It’s just really nice because you can make anything that comes to your mind and there’s really no limit.”
The project also helped Lucinda reconnect with others:
“I’ve got to know everyone better and connected with a few people.”
lucinda, young carer
“It’s been really nice to talk to everyone and see their ideas. I stopped going to Carers Club for a while; I’ve really enjoyed [this project] and I’m thinking of coming back.”
Creativity as emotional expression
In April 2025, Matilda* (10) took part in change:matters, our programme combining creativity with financial literacy. As part of a group, she created radio dramas exploring real-life money challenges.
Matilda cares for multiple family members including siblings with autism and a mother with epilepsy and Crohn’s disease. She says that creativity plays an important role in managing emotions:
“[Creativity] gets your mind going and you can [explore] problems. If I’m feeling angry, I’ll make dark stuff. But when I’m feeling happy, I’ll do doodles and draw people. So that’s how I express myself with creativity.”
The project offered both creative learning and peer connection:
“[Projects like these] help young carers regulate because they realise a lot of children [are] actually like them. They can make friends that have the same problems.”
Why these projects matter
For young carers, creativity can provide far more than an enjoyable activity. It offers a safe space to explore emotions, connect with peers who understand their experiences, and discover new possibilities for the future.
By working alongside professional artists and other young carers, participants are supported to build confidence, develop skills and take time that is just for them.
These projects were funded by The Chartered Accountants’ Livery Charity, John Lyon’s Charity, National Lottery Community Fund, Wates Foundation and The Worshipful Company of World Traders.
*Names changed to protect anonymity
