Time for Our Ethnic Voices: Experiences of unpaid carers of Black men with a Severe Mental Illness
Published on 15 October, 2025.
Healthwatch Lambeth engaged with Black carers to understand their experiences of providing care to family members with a Severe Mental Illness. This report draws on carers’ personal stories to highlight the challenges they face in their supporting role and their experience of mental health services. It accompanies and complements ‘A Fulfilling Life, What Matters to Me,’ our report exploring the experiences of Black male service users with a Severe Mental Illness (SMI) in Lambeth. Caring for a loved one with mental health challenges can be an emotional and demanding journey. Unpaid carers provide vital support, yet their experiences often go unrecognised and unsupported. This report highlights the need for better support for unpaid carers in mental health services. Many carers do not recognise themselves as such until formally acknowledged, often feeling invisible and undervalued. Early recognition and active engagement are crucial.