Young carers
National work
Young Carers Research Group at Loughborough University. The YCRG conducts high quality research, evaluation and consultancy on all matters relating to children with caring responsibilities – young carers – in order to advance knowledge and inform the development of health and social care policy and good practice.
Young carers in the UK: the 2004 report by Chris Dearden and Saul Becker, Carers UK and the Children's Society. This major study is still being cited.
Ofsted carried out a small-scale survey exploring the effectiveness of councils and their partners in identifying young carers. The study also examined the assessment and delivery of services for young carers and their families. Read the report, Supporting young carers: identifying, assessing and meeting the needs of young carers and their families.
What young carers say about themselves
The Commission for Social Care Inspection held a workshop to find out from young carers themselves what being a young carer is like. The young people gave very clear messages and told sometimes very difficult personal stories. The caring task is something that never stops, but has peaks of demands sometimes. It is hard to keep going with caring, but that is what young carers want to do, because they are doing it for a parent or family member. Read Being a young carer.
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has published a number of studies. Understanding what children say about living with domestic violence, parental substance misuse or parental health problems is a literature review carried out in 2004. The effect of parental substance abuse on young people is a qualitative study carried out in Scotland in 2004. Young carers' transitions into adulthood concluded that children and young people who adopt inappropriate caring responsibilities can be affected not only during childhood, but also as they become adults. The absence of family-focused, positive and supportive interventions by professionals, combined with inadequate income, have negative effects for young people and their parents.
Big Bruv Little Sis sets out the findings from the first research study undertaken in the UK into the experiences of siblings who are raising their younger brothers and sisters. The publication includes in-depth interviews with sibling carers, a web-based survey of carers, a chapter setting out the legal framework, as well as findings from an international literature review. The full publication is available from the Family Rights Group.
Guidance for schools and local authorities
The Princess Royal Trust for Carers developed this guidance, Young carers: guidance for schools and local authorities and together with the Children's Society, the PRTC has published Developing a school policy for young carers and their families.
Resource pack for those working with young carers
The Princess Royal Trust for Carers developed A resource pack for people working with young carers. The pack is intended for use by Young Carer Workers who go into primary or secondary schools to work with pupils and staff, and was published in 2006. The materials in the pack seek to raise awareness and develop understanding about who young carers are, their particular needs, the increasing acceptance (and consequently, the decreasing stigma) in schools around the need to care for people with mental ill-health, who have disability issues or issues around substance abuse.
Resource pack for schools
Specifically aimed at schools, Supporting Young Carers: a resource for schools is available to download from the Princess Royal Trust for Carers. Developed in 2010, the resource will guide your school through the steps needed to support young carers; from developing understanding and identifying young carers, to strategic and practical support and building a healthy school environment where young carers can flourish.
Young carers e-learning module
Developed by the Department of Health and the Department for Education in conjunction with the National Young Carers Coalition, this module takes around forty minutes to complete. School leadership teams and the governing body could follow up work on this with a discussion to plan whole-school action. Go to the Young carers e-learning module.
Young carers are often bullied
Young carers are often socially isolated and because they are perceived as being different they are likely to be bullied. Tackling bullying in schools: a guide for governors from the Anti-Bullying Alliance aims to help governors look at work to address bullying by providing advice, questions to ask headteachers, top tips and details of further resources. The ABA worked with a team of experienced governors from primary, secondary and special schools to make sure that the guide addresses the key issues and challenges relevant to governors today.
Young carers with specific needs
Children or young people who care for someone with cancer
Macmillan Cancer Support’s editorial team and the Arden Cancer Network’s Young People’s Group have written Let's talk about you: a guide for young people caring for someone with cancer. It gives practical help and advice.
Young carers whose parents have mental health problems
One in six adults lives with a mental health problem in the UK today, most commonly anxiety or depression; many of these adults are parents whose children are living at home. In some families, parental distress can lead to children taking on responsibilities that would usually belong to adult family members: such children become young carers. Barnardo’s seeks to help the most vulnerable children and young people transform their lives and fulfil their potential and believes that the best way to support young carers is to work with them as part of a family: Keeping the family in mind.
You are not on your own
Research has shown that around 2.6 million children in the UK are living with parents who are drinking hazardously and 705,000 are living with dependent drinkers.
The Children's Commissioner for England and The Children's Society have published the first booklet of its kind for use by children affected by a parent or carer drinking too much alcohol. It will help them to have frank discussions with teachers, professionals or an adult who they trust when they are worried about a parent or carer and the problems caused by their alcohol consumption. Download You are not on your own: a booklet to help children and adults talk about a parent's drinking.
Stars National Initiative
Hosted by the Children's Society, Stars National Initiative is the website for anyone working with children, young people and families affected by parental drug and alcohol misuse. Go there for resources, a DVD gallery, news and information.
