Kingston Carers' Network (KCN) is the only organisation in the Borough of Kingston upon Thames dedicated to providing a support service to carers. Our aim is to improve the lives of young & adult carers who provide unpaid care to someone who could not manage without their support due to illness, disability or frailty. We provide support, information and advice to carers, as well as a range of activities to improve physical and emotional well-being.

The 2011 Census identified 13,288 carers in the borough of Kingston. Of these, 2,346 carers were providing over 50 hours of care each week. As a result of their caring responsibilities many carers, including young carers, experience a decline in their own mental and physical health and suffer isolation and financial hardship. Our services aim to minimise these consequences by offering practical and emotional support and opportunities to take regular breaks from the responsibilities of caring.

We are currently supporting 4,000 carers; 3,200 adult carers and 800 young carers. As a result of our support carers report improvements in many areas of their lives. They say that they are able to enjoy a life outside caring, they sleep better, feel more relaxed and less isolated. They also feel less depressed and experience lower anxiety/stress levels and are better able to cope with caring.