For too long, young carers have been slipping through the net between children’s and adult’s support services – hidden from view of the very authorities there to help them, according to the National Young Carers Coalition (NYCC) of leading charities.
Today, the Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove MP, has announced this historic amendment to The Children and Families Bill.
Now, when a child is identified as a young carer, the needs of everyone in the family will be considered. This will trigger both children’s and adults support services into action – assessing why a child is caring, what needs to change and what would help the family to prevent children from taking on this responsibility in the first place.
A staggering 166,363 children in England are caring for their parents, siblings and family members according to Census data released in May 2013. This is up by a fifth from when the last Census was conducted in 2001.
Despite this being the first official statistic to be published in ten years, this is only the tip of the iceberg. Many young carers remain hidden from the view of authorities. The Children’s Society’s analysis, Hidden from View, reveals that young carers are lagging behind in school and missing out on their childhoods because of the demands placed on them.
Dr Moira Fraser, Chair of the NYCC and Director of Policy and Research at Carers Trust, said: “The National Young Carers Coalition (NYCC), has been campaigning for over a year for the government to change the law for young carers so that they have stronger rights to assessment and support and protection from inappropriate caring through assessment and support of the whole family.
“We are delighted that the Secretary of State has put forward this proposed amendment and indicated that the Care Bill will also protect young carers. Not only will these changes help professionals to understand what they need to do, they have potential to transform the lives of some our most vulnerable children and young people by helping them and their family when they most need it.”
The Children’s Society’s Chief Executive, Matthew Reed, said: “This is an historic moment for children who have the responsibility of looking after their parents, siblings and family members. We applaud the government for taking a huge leap to support often incredibly vulnerable young carers who are slipping through the net, undetected by the support services they desperately need.
“This milestone signals the start of a new era of support for young carers. We know that caring can cost children dearly. As the Secretary of State has made clear today, our Hidden from View analysis has been a driving force behind this. It reveals that young carers are missing out on their childhoods and school, gaining fewer qualifications and job opportunities and therefore are less likely to earn a decent living in the future. All children must be allowed to thrive and enjoy their childhood.”
Barnardo’s deputy director of strategy, Alison Worsley said: “This legal change is a significant opportunity to improve the long-term outcomes for young carers, and it has happened because young carers and those who support them have spoken out about what needs to change, and because the Government has listened.
“We must not forget that despite having some very adult responsibilities, young carers are still children. It is essential that we do all we can to ensure they don’t miss out on opportunities that other children have to play, learn and develop.”
The National Young Carers Coalition (NYCC) a *partnership of charities and organisations led by Carers Trust, The Children’s Society and Barnardos, has been lobbying for this vital change in law since 2012, gaining cross-party support from politicians and professionals alike.