Across the UK, over one million young people take on caring responsibilities. Many remain unidentified, navigate school without tailored support, and face significantly poorer outcomes in education and employment, with outcomes that vary dramatically by location.
A new partnership between MYTIME Young Carers and the Forvis Mazars Foundation UK, officially launched this week, is set to tackle the “postcode lottery” of support for more than a million young carers across the UK as part of a shared mission to support under-resourced young people to achieve their potential and feel positive about their future.
Dorset-based MYTIME Young Carers works to “level the playing field” for children and young people who care for a family member through a blend of direct support and system change, from school‑based identification and training to employability programmes and national advocacy. Their work includes award‑winning initiatives such as Level Up, a whole‑school approach that recently won the Children & Youth Prize at The Charity Awards 2025.
Forvis Mazars Foundation UK, launched in June 2025 as an independent, registered grant‑making charity, focuses on improving social mobility for people up to age 25. It is funded by donations from the partnership of Forvis Mazars in the UK, who have an office in Poole and has already awarded over £800,000 in grants since its launch.
The foundation provides flexible funding alongside pro bono expertise and skills‑based volunteering from Forvis Mazars to help partner charities deliver long‑term, sustainable impact focused on social mobility. Its three focus areas of reducing the attainment gap, preparing young people for life, and widening access to education and employment, all directly intersect with the barriers young carers face.
“Every young person deserves the chance to reach their full potential, and through the Foundation, we aim to provide the support to make that happen,” said James Gilbey, CEO of Forvis Mazars in the UK.
What the partnership will deliver
The foundation is funding MYTIME’s Equity for Young Carers project, an initiative designed to end regional disparities in young carer support by identifying, sharing and scaling best practice, and by building momentum toward a national framework of good practice. MYTIME is collaborating with Social Finance on research and systems‑change design working with partners across the country to co‑develop case studies that can be replicated nationally.
The funding will also help MYTIME launch an accessible new website to support its nationwide reach and enable more consistent, high‑quality information and resources for young carers, families, schools and employers.
The Equity for Young Carers project responds directly to this challenge by convening the sector around what works, then codifying and spreading those solutions so support no longer depends on where a young carer happens to live.
“MYTIME Young Carers are so grateful to Forvis Mazars for supporting the Equity for Young Carers and hosting a powerful lunchtime conversation with their team in Dorset and members of the Dorset Chamber. Their support is helping us turn data and lived experience into practical change so we can take positive steps towards ending the postcode lottery for young carers.” Krista Cartlidge, CEO, MYTIME Young Carers.
‘We are proud to support a charity that is giving a voice to young carers and challenging the structural barriers that are preventing them from achieving their potential and putting their unique talents to use. MYTIME bring considerable expertise and direct experience to our partnership along with a deep passion to change things for the young people they represent, and we are excited to be part of that journey’ Graeme Marsh, Foundation Manager.
For the foundation, the partnership aligns with an approach which has prioritised evidence‑led interventions and scalable models, from alumni networks that strengthen school communities to targeted programmes that help young people build skills, confidence and pathways into work.
About the partners
MYTIME Young Carers is a UK charity championing young carers through school‑based identification and training (Level Up), respite and connection (Making Memories), and routes into work (Employability). Its programmes blend direct support with systemic change, ensuring young carers are seen, supported and set up to thrive.
Forvis Mazars Foundation UK is an independent, registered charity (Charity Commission no. 1211626) backed by an annual donation from Forvis Mazars in the UK. It funds local and national charities that support under‑resourced young people up to age 25, aided by pro bono services and skills‑based volunteering provided by Forvis Mazars in the UK.
Get involved:
- Find out about MYTIME’s programmes and how to refer, volunteer or partner. [mytimeyoun…carers.org]
- Learn more about the Forvis Mazars Foundation UK and its focus on social mobility. [forvismazars.com]