Education and Child Matters

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Young Carers

 

WHAT IS A YOUNG CARER?

Under the carers (recognition and services) act 1995 a young carer is a child or young person under 18 years of age who provides a substantial amount of care on a regular basis.

The young carer can provide physical, emotional, and practical support to a family member who has mental issues, is physically incapable of looking after themselves, has a long term illness, has hearing or sight loss, abuses substances such as drugs or alcohol, or is disabled.

LINK TO GOVERNMENT WEBPAGE FOR THE CARERS (RECOGNITION AND SERVICES) ACT 1995

WHAT CAN THE LOCAL AUTHORITY DO FOR A YOUNG CARER?

A young carer or another individual can ask local authority child services to assess a young carer to determine the needs of the young carer and whether any support is required .

Under section 17 of the children act 1989 all local authorities should assess and support (if assessment suggests support) young carers in the borough.

LINK TO GOVERNMENT WEBPAGE FOR SECTION 17 OF THE CHILDREN ACT 1989

Under the carers (equal opportunities) act 2004 the local authority should recognise, assess and support (if assessment suggests support) all young carers in the borough.

LINK TO GOVERNMENT WEBPAGE FOR CARERS (EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES) ACT 2004

The local authority assessment of the young carer will determine the following:

  1. Whether the young carer is able to provide the care required
  2. What is the nature of the care to be provided and is it appropriate for the age and gender of the young carer?
  3. What is the amount of care being provided?
  4. Whether the extent of care responsibility is excessive on the young carer
  5. Whether the care the young carer is providing is affecting their health and well being.
  6. Whether the care the young carer is providing is affecting their physical health.
  7. Whether the care the young carer is providing is affecting their education and attendance at school.
  8. Whether the care the young carer is providing is affecting their development.
  9. Whether the care the young carer is providing is stopping them making friends and having a social life.
  10. The needs of the young carer.
  11. Whether the young carer is a looked after child (a child in care)
  12. Whether support and help should be given to the person the young carer is caring for so that the young carer does not have to provide the care
  13. What are the wishes and feelings of the young carer?
  14. Whether the young carer is eligible to claim any benefits such as carers allowance.

LINK TO GOVERNMENT WEBPAGE FOR SECTION 96 OF THE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES ACT 2014 

The local authority can assess the needs and support required by the young carer and the person being cared for at the same time if both agree and if appropriate..

The young carer, the young carer’s parents or the person who has parental responsibility for the young carer, any other person whom the young carer or the young carer’s parents think should be involved, and the person being cared for will all take part in the assessment. 

The local authority child services will detail all their findings in a report and send a copy to all involved in the assessment. The report will explain whether the young carer or the person being cared for needs support and whether the local authority will provide it 

If a young carer has had an assessment, the local authority will only do a second assessment if conditions and circumstances of the young carer or the person being cared for has changed.