- Some young carers have to wait 10 years before being identified and the average waiting time to be identified for support was three years.
- Young people with caring responsibilities have a higher prevalence of self-harm. Of children who do self-harm, young carers are twice as likely to attempt to take their own life than non-carers.
- Young carers miss 27 school days per year on average.
- Young adult carers are substantially (38%) less likely to achieve a university degree than their peers without a caring role. Those caring for 35 or more hours a week are 86% less likely.
- Young adult carers are less likely to be employed than their peers without a caring role.
Families with young carers may encounter additional issues and barriers linked to their illnesses or disabilities, such as isolation and loneliness, low income or unemployment, debt, housing problems, substance misuse, relationship difficulties, and domestic violence. .
Early identification is therefore vital to reduce the negative impacts on young carers and improve the outcomes for them and their families. The key to identifying young carers is to raise awareness, be proactive, and give children and young people the chance to recognise their caring role and to feel safe enough to talk to someone about what is happening at home.
Young carers don’t see themselves as carers or feel too frightened to ask for help. We need to ask!
- Is anybody ill or disabled at home? Or does anyone use drugs/alcohol?
- Who helps look after them when they are not well or having a bad day?
- Are there children in the family who help to provide care?
- What effect does the illness or disability have on the children? Do they help provide any care? (this can include self-care and emotional care as well as practical tasks or personal care)
- How does this affect the child or young person? (e.g. in their education, wellbeing, friendships etc)
- Do they get any support around this?
- What can be offered to help the whole family?
A local authority must carry out an assessment under section 17ZA of the Children Act 1989:
- if it considers that a young carer may have support needs, or
- if a young carer, or the parent of a young carer, requests one
You can find out about Young Carers Needs Assessments in Sheffield here.
Young carers and young adult carers also have rights at hospital discharge and when they enter work. You can find out more about these rights here.
Free training on identifying and supporting young carers in Sheffield is available here (e-learning and multi-agency training options).