Concerns remain over effectiveness of young carer regulations

The Department for Education has published its response to a consultation around regulatory change on support for young carers.

This outlines changes to ensure councils put young carers at “the heart of the assessment process”. Councils should also have a whole-family approach to supporting young carers and their sick or disabled relatives.

However, the government has ruled out introducing a number of other requirements called for by campaigners during the consultation, including imposing time limits on councils for carrying out needs assessments of young carers.

In addition, the government will not place a duty on councils to involve the wider family and friendship circle of young carers in preparing a needs assessment, something the Association of Directors of Children’s Services was keen to see added to the regulations.

Carers Trust is concerned that without better investment across social care the plight of young carers will continue.

Dr Moira Fraser, director of policy and research at Carers Trust, said: “We remain concerned that these rights on paper may not result in real and meaningful support and services for young carers and their families, due to the reality of underfunded social care budgets.

“We must reduce the need for young carers to take on harmful caring roles, by providing care and support for the older or disabled person themselves, rather than simply seeking to mitigate the effects of caring on young carers.

“Young carers are children first and foremost, and should not be placed in a position where their childhood is compromised. A good assessment is a good start, but services and support for young carers and the people they care for must follow.”

She did however welcome the move to place a strong emphasis on involving young carers views in decisions around family support and on preventing young carers taking on “excessive and inappropriate” caring.

The updated regulations are part of a commitment in the Children and Families Act 2014 to improve support for young carers. This also requires adult services to consider the needs of children around decisions on support for adults requiring care.