Comment: Why young carers need all our support
I first became aware of the difficulties faced by Britain’s young carers when I was invited to visit York Young Carers last October. Since this trip, I have sought to construct an informed analysis of the problems encountered by our young carers and I hope that my upcoming Westminster Hall debate will highlight some of the sensitive issues involved.
By Julian Sturdy MP
Across our country it is estimated that 700,000 young people support their mother, father, brother, sister or grandparent as a primary carer. Each and every one of these brave young people has a unique story to tell. All of them face a range of difficulties as a result of the compassion and love that they show towards their cared-for relatives.
The visit also opened my eyes to the vast responsibilities that young carers find placed upon their shoulders at such a young age. Their wide-ranging roles include providing physical and mental support, organising hospital visits, paying bills, cooking meals, cleaning whole houses, organising medication and liaising with social workers. Given that the average young carer is just 12 years of age, it is remarkable that so many have the capacity to care whilst also studying at school and developing emotionally themselves.
Indeed, on a national level I am extremely concerned about the Princess Royal Trust for Carers’ recent research which concludes that one in three young carers face educational difficulties, whilst two in three experience school-place bullying.
With a young carer’s first priority being the relative for whom they care, it is only right that schools and education providers are both understanding and sympathetic. One of the greatest frustrations outlined to me by York’s young carers was that too few people, including some teachers, fully appreciate the pressures, both time-wise and emotionally, that young carers operate under. Sadly, 60% of young carers say that they would not be able to talk to a teacher about their caring role.
Furthermore, it is extremely worrying that, on average, it takes just over four years for young carers to receive any support at all.
Such delays are often a result of fear and embarrassment. A culture of fear does indeed seem to be prevalent amongst young carers and I can completely understand why. Asking for help is never easy, particularly if you fear that your family home may be broken up or disrupted as a result. However, it is the job of the authorities and voluntary sector to break this cycle of fear and I welcome the new national carers strategy’s commitment to the early identification of carers.
After all, the recent MyCare Report, commissioned by the Mental Health Foundation in association with the Princess Royal Trust for Carers, found that young carers are at greater risk of isolation than any other youth grouping and now disproportionately face their own physical and mental health risks.
In addition to highlighting the difficulties faced by young carers, I hope that my debate will also prompt some long overdue thinking about potential reforms. Specially, I shall be requesting that:-
– young carers are included in discussions about their relatives’ treatment;
– every school has a policy on the provision of support for pupils who are young carers;
– our health, mental and social services work more effectively together to offer support not only to the cared-for but also the carer.
Whether it is more recognition from health services, greater support from teachers, firmer guarantees about future support provision or wider understanding from general society, our young carers need others to take up their cause. Quite simply, it is time to start championing these selfless and courageous young people.
Julian Sturdy is the Conservative MP for York Outer
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