How are Young Carers identified in the Census?

The census needs to be filled out by an adult in the household, most likely a parent, who will be given the opportunity to say for each child in the family, whether the child is a carer and how many hours unpaid care they are providing. It is really important that any child who is providing care is recorded in the Census as a young carer so the importance of their role is understood. Anyone who  is looking after, helping or supporting someone else should tick ‘YES’ to question 24.

 

Who is a Young Carer?     

Young Carers are children or young people who provide care for one or more family members with   a long term serious health condition or disability, mental health problem, alcohol or drug addiction. 

 

Who is an Adult Young Carer?

A Young Adult Carer is someone aged between 18 and 25 who is responsible for the care of another person with a long term serious health condition or disability, mental health problem, alcohol or drug addiction. 

We offer support for Young Adult Carers to help them manage their caring responsibilities and can help with moving into higher education, finding funding and accessing adult carer services.

 

Examples of care

- Practical tasks – cooking, shopping 

- Physical care – lifting or helping someone   use the stairs 

- Personal care – dressing, washing

- Emotional support – listening, calming

- Sibling care 

- Domestic support 

- Household management

- Medication management

- Practical and financial support

- Helping someone communicate 

- Collecting benefits and/or pescriptions

 

Young Carers today face a greater set of challenges than ever before, yet too often they remain unrecognised and this is exactly why efforts to research and understand the issues and social landscape that young carers and their families face are so very important. 

We need greater knowledge about the lives of young carers, so that we can be sure we are taking the most effective measures to improve them. Getting things right for young carers now is crucially important for their immediate development as young people and their longer term chances to thrive as an adult. 

This knowledge will give local authorities greater legal responsibilities to ensure that Young Carers’ needs are recognised and responded to, and could significantly improve the prospects for our Young Carers.