The Guardian explores childhoods on hold

Launching during Carers Week 2026, the short documentary Is Mum OK? shines a light on the lives of a group of young people in East London who bear the emotional weight of caring for family members from an early age.

A gentle, quietly powerful portrait of some remarkable young people, it follows them as they attend Young Carers Club, a fortnightly respite session where they can spend time with others who understand their experiences. 

It was directed by Rosie Morris, whose firsthand experience of caring informed the project. “This story is deeply personal to me," she reveals, "caring for my mother three years ago was one of the hardest and most meaningful experiences I have ever had. My difficulty in transitioning out of being a carer and entering normal life again caused me to wonder, what would it have been like if you had to provide physical and emotional support to a family member from a young age?”

There are estimated to be at least one million young carers in the UK – equivalent to around two in every classroom – many of whom remain unidentified and unsupported. The film will be screened to MPs in a bid to push young carers higher up the UK's social care agenda.