•Provides evidence of a significant cohort of young kinship carers.•Describes the characteristics and challenges of kinship care by young carers.•Describes an advocacy initiative for recognition & support that was codesigned with young kinship carers. This article describes Australian research that broke new ground in identifying the prevalence and life experiences of young kinship carers, and an advocacy initiative to promote recognition and support for this group. Prevalence and demographic data were derived from census analysis, and interviews with young kinship carers and young people in their care provided an in-depth picture of their life experiences. While the young people were generally doing well, the carers described significant compromises to their life circumstances, including poverty, social isolation, and opportunity costs with regard to education and employment. The advocacy initiative was codesigned with a group of young kinship carers who participated in conference presentations, media interviews and a delegation to the Australian Parliament.