The shocking truth about Britain’s child carers

To coincide with National Carers Week, Parliamentary Yearbook reports on shocking figures which report a shameful increase in the number of young children forced to be unsupported carers for adults in our society over the last decade.

Figures recently published in a report by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) - based on data collated from the 2011 Census - show a staggering increase in the numbers of young carers over the last decade. This includes the regrettable statistic that almost 10,000 children aged between 5-7 years are providing unpaid care for relatives, a rise of almost 80%.  A separate report by the Children’s Society suggests that this is likely to underestimate the real picture. It also provides further evidence of the negative impacts of extra caring responsibilities on the lives of young carers and calls for legislative changes to help safeguard the welfare and rights of children and young people in this situation.

The following figures relating to young carers aged 5-7 years are particularly distressing. 

• 9,371 young carers aged 5-7 years provided unpaid care (up almost 80% over the last decade)
• Over 1,600 young carers aged 5-7 years provided over 50 hours of care each week
The figures relating all young carers across the ages of 5-17 years are no better. They reveal that:
• 177,918 children aged 5-17 years provide unpaid care (a 20% increase over the last decade)
• Nearly 15,000 children provide over 50 hours of care per week
• Around 2,000 children provide 20-49 hours care per week
• In England the largest numbers of young carers are in the North West (24,561)
• South East England had the largest rise in unpaid carers since the 2001 Census; an increase of 41.2%, representing an additional 7,282 young carers.

The report shows that being a carer has a detrimental impact on general health. A total of 2000 young carers had “bad” or “very bad” health.  Furthermore, the percentage with “Not Good” health was generally higher among young carers providing care than their counterparts. This percentage increased with greater amounts of care provided. Those caring for 50 hours or more per week were between 4.4 (in Wales) and 5.9 times (in England) more likely to report their health as “Not Good” compared with those not providing care.

According to the Children’s Society, the data compiled from the 2011 Census is likely to underestimate the true picture.  Chief Executive of the Children’s Society Matthew Reed warned that these shocking figures were likely to be “the tip of the iceberg”.  He said: “Many often incredibly vulnerable young carers are slipping through the net, undetected by the support services they so desperately need.”   The Children’s Society’s has conducted its own independent analysis of the same government data (which tracks 15,000 children across England) produced in a related report, Hidden from View.  The report highlights the impact on young carers in more detail and calls for government support and recognition of their welfare. 

One of the most shocking findings from the Hidden from View report is that young carers are more than one and a half times more likely to have a long-standing illness or disability or special educational need than their peers.  Other figures illustrate the demands and effect of caring in terms of school attendance, educational achievements, and employment and income capacity.  The report includes the following facts about young carers:

• 1 in 12 spend 15 hours a week caring for a relative
• Approximately 1 in 20 miss school because of their caring responsibilities
• They achieve fewer formal qualifications at GCSE; equivalent to 9 grades lower overall than their peers.
• They are more likely than average to be “not in education, employment or training” (NEET) between the ages of 16-19
• They are more than one and a half times more likely to be from black, Asian or other minority ethnic communities, and twice as likely not to speak English as their first language.
• Their families tend to have an average annual income of £5,000 less than families without a young carer

Perhaps one of the report’s most significant findings is that there is no strong evidence that young carers are any more likely than their peers to receive help from local support agencies.

Concerned about the welfare of young carers, The Children’s Society is campaigning for better support and recognition of their plight. The society regards two bills currently going through parliament - the Care Bill and the Children and Families Bill - as providing a ‘once in a generation’ chance to improve the lives of young carers.  

It calls for the Care Bill to be amended to ensure that young carers are supported and adult needs are met sufficiently so that children are protected from harmful forced duty of caring.

Similarly, it views the Children and Families Bill as “a great chance to simplify and clarify existing law and guidance in relation to young carers”.

Crucially, The Children’s Society want the bill to give young carers a new legal entitlement to assessment and support to ensure that young carers are not left with unequal rights compared with adult carers.

www.parliamentaryyearbook.co.uk
Email: parliamentaryyearbook@blakemedia.org