Hidden Young Carers | Saul Becker | TEDxUoN

This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. In this TEDx talk, Saul takes us on a journey to explore and understand the hidden contributions that children make to family care; the outcomes that caring roles and responsibilities can have on children’s education, psycho-social development, health and well-being; and what can and is being done to help young carers in those countries that have identified them as a group who need recognition, support, services and interventions. He links this research journey to his personal experiences of being a young carer in his own childhood.

For twenty years, Saul has pioneered and led a major research program investigating the hidden worlds of young carers in a number of countries. Young carers are children under 18 who provide care, support and supervision to other family members – often parents – who are ill, disabled, have mental health or addiction problems. There are almost one million just in the UK alone. Saul is recognised as the world’s leading expert in this field. His dozens of research studies, and hundreds of publications and conference presentations, have informed the development of law, policy and professional practices in many countries.


In this TEDx talk, Saul takes us on a journey to explore and understand the hidden contributions that children make to family care; the outcomes that caring roles and responsibilities can have on children’s education, psycho-social development, health and well-being; and what can and is being done to help young carers in those countries that have identified them as a group who need recognition, support, services and interventions. He links this research journey to his personal experiences of being a young carer in his own childhood.

About TEDx, x = independently organized event In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)