Ministerial Advisory Group for Unpaid Carers meeting: 19 June 2025

• Dawn Bowden, MS Minister for Children and Social Care, via video message
• Kate Cubbage, Carers Trust Wales (Chair)
• Alistair Davey, Welsh Government
• Denise Moultrie, Welsh Government
• Elinor Jones, Welsh Government
• Edward Silva, Welsh Government
• Valerie Billingham, Office of the Older Peoples Commissioner
• Daniel Burrows, Cardiff University
• Tanya Tye, Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board
• Bobbie-Jo Haarhoff, Unpaid Carer
• Jayne Newman, Unpaid Carer
• Alyson Hoskins, Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council
• Myfanwy Moran, Newport City Council
• Sean O’Neill, Children in Wales
• Jake Smith, Carers Wales
• Pennie Muir, Hywel Dda University Health Board
• Naiomi Harper, Flintshire County Council
• Suzanne Becquer-Moreno, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board
• Amy Hawkins, Swansea County Council
• Kathy Proudfoot, Carers Officers Learning and Improvement Network
• Rachel Wright, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board
• Josie Yuen, Public Health Wales

• Victoria Lloyd – Age Cymru
• Nick Andrews – Swansea University
• Rachel Williams – Parkinsons UK
• Lou Bushell-Bauers – Care Inspectorate Wales
• David Watkins – Cwm Taff Morgannwg University Health Board
• Jon Antoniazzi – Marie Curie
• Kate Young – All Wales Forum
• Naheed Ashraf – Aneurin Bevan University Health Board
• Anna Bird - Hywel Dda University Health Board (Penny Muir attending on Anna’s behalf)

Kate Cubbage opened the meeting, expressing her enthusiasm for taking on the role of Chair. She reflected on her personal and professional journey which reinforces her commitment to unpaid carers and the work of the Ministerial Advisory Group.

Kate Cubbage thanked Alwyn Jones, the outgoing Chair, for his leadership, particularly in bringing representation of individual unpaid carers onto the group. Kate Cubbage also welcomed Alistair Davey, as the new Deputy Director with responsibility for unpaid carers policy at Welsh Government.

Confirmed all actions completed.

The Minister will shortly be announcing the appointment to the post of Deputy Chair of the Advisory Group.

The Minister welcomed Kate Cubbage as the new Chair. The Minister outlined the Welsh Government’s stakeholder engagement work to develop a new strategy for unpaid carers. The Minister highlighted the importance of the newly established Young Carers subgroup under the auspices of the Ministerial Advisory Group. The Minister was pleased to note the recent workshops with senior managers in local authorities regarding improving access to information, advice and assistance for unpaid carers and carers’ needs assessments. The Minister noted Carers Trust Wales as the new hosts of the Welsh Government Young Carers Advisory Board.  The Minister looked forward to the next meeting of the Ministerial Advisory group in September, which is an in-person event.

Daniel Burrows provided updates on two research areas:

• Menopause and caring: Research from the Mayo Clinic and the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing indicates a potential link between caregiving and increased menopause symptoms, as well as reduced working hours among women carers. Cardiff University is exploring further research in this area.
• Kinship and unpaid care: A 2025 report from Kinship UK found 36% of kinship carers also identify as unpaid carers. For example, the kinship carer may also support the child’s parent.

Denise Moultrie reported on engagement with the Association of Fostering and Kinship Care to ensure new guidance for kinship care assessments includes awareness of unpaid carers This is important, due to the intersectionality between kinship and unpaid care, where a proportion of kinship carers are also unpaid carers.

Denise Moultrie summarised the inaugural meeting of the Young Carers Subgroup, which includes representatives from education, social services, and the third sector. The group aims to develop policy for young and young adult carers and maintain strong links with the Young Carers Advisory Board. Key topics included young carers in education and promoting the use of young carer ID cards. A social media campaign targeting young carers via TikTok and Snapchat was ongoing.

A query was raised about awareness of the ID card in pharmacies and GP surgeries. It was confirmed that updated materials to raise awareness of unpaid carers, including reference to young carers ID card have been produced by Carers Trust Wales, with the intention are that these will be made available to pharmacists.

Welsh Government have asked local authorities about their young carer ID card schemes and responses are being collated.

Denise Moultrie and Alyson Hoskins shared outcomes from recent workshops with senior local authority leaders. Key priorities identified:

• improving access to information, advice, and assistance (IAA)
• clarifying carers’ understanding of assessments
• enhancing consistency in recording practices
• supporting practitioners in delivering assessments
• ensuring carers can re-engage with services as needs change

Alyson Hoskins will lead a working group with regional representation from local authorities to take forward these actions and report back into the Task and Finish Group and the Ministerial Advisory Group.

This item was deferred to the September meeting as the member who raised was not present.

Denise Moultrie outlined the timeline and engagement plans for the development of the new strategy:

• targeted engagement over summer, particularly with underrepresented groups
• draft strategy to be reviewed at the September meeting
• public consultation to follow in late 2025, with publication in Spring 2026
• a steering group will be established to oversee development

Kate Cubbage and others emphasised the importance of co-production and a delivery of a focussed strategy that outlines practical, measurable outcomes. 

In person meeting scheduled for 25 September at Welsh Government building in Cathays Park. Suggestions for the agenda included:

• Showcasing good practice from local authorities and third sector. Attendees were encouraged to suggest speakers and case studies.
• A presentation from kinship care representatives.
• Highlighting co-production examples (such as, Cardiff & Vale Co-production Group).
• Reviewing draft national strategy.

Kate Cubbage and the group thanked Elinor Jones for her service as secretariat, noting her contributions to the group’s organisation and national programme delivery.