Carer Innovation Collective: ”Better support for carers, together”
The Carer Innovation Collective brings together people across the NHS, local authorities, and carer organisations who are passionate about improving support for unpaid Carers. It’s a space to share ideas, explore new approaches, and learn what’s working, from digital tools and AI to frontline support and engagement. Expect open conversations, shared challenges, and practical insights you can take back and apply. Whether you’re building new services or strengthening existing ones, this is a place to connect, learn, and make a real difference.
From what I’ve seen (and lived), the biggest shift is when people stop waiting for carers to “come forward” and start actively looking. A lot of carers don’t even recognise themselves as carers for years, so they’re not going to tick a box or ask for help.
The things that seem to make a difference are simple but consistent — schools and services asking the right questions regularly, not just once on a form, and creating spaces where it feels safe to be honest. Even just a quiet 1:1 conversation can uncover more than a big awareness assembly ever will.
It also works better when different services actually talk to each other. Health, schools, and community organisations sharing information (properly) makes it much easier to spot patterns and support earlier.
The reality is a lot of young carers are still hidden because of stigma, fear, or just thinking “this is normal” — so the responsibility can’t just sit with them to self-identify.
Would be really interested to hear what’s working for others in practice.
From what’s working in practice, the biggest shift is moving away from waiting for carers to self-identify and instead being proactive. A lot of carers don’t recognise themselves as carers — some take years to realise — so relying on them to come forward just doesn’t work.
Consistently asking the right questions is making a real difference. Not one-off forms, but regular check-ins, conversations, and creating opportunities for young people to share what’s going on in a way that feels safe. Even simple questions built into everyday interactions can help uncover caring roles earlier.
What’s also working is better multi-agency collaboration. When schools, health services, and community organisations share information and take a “whole family” view, it becomes much easier to spot patterns and identify carers before things reach crisis point.
And importantly, building awareness and reducing stigma. A lot of hidden carers stay hidden because of fear, secrecy, or just thinking their situation is normal — so normalising conversations around caring is key.
The common thread is this: identification works best when the responsibility isn’t placed on the carer alone — it’s built into everyday practice across services.
