Student young carers more fearful of dropping out of university

Research conducted by the Carers Trust and Nottingham University found that 16 per cent of young carers feared they may have to drop out early – twice the rate for the general student population.

Meanwhile, researchers discovered issues with lateness or absence due to balancing caring responsibilities alongside studies meant that more than half of young carers at university were “experiencing difficulties”.

Problems with physical and mental health were also highlighted.

Four out of 10 (39 per cent) young carers at university rated their physical health as either “just okay” or “poor” and 45 per cent reported having mental health problems (nearly twice the national average of 25 per cent in the UK).

The Carers Trust said the findings indicate that young carers need to be identified early and supported, but many remain unnoticed.

Although more than three quarters of the young adult carers had explained their caring role to their college or university, nearly half (45 per cent) still said there was no one there that helped them.

Moira Fraser, director of policy and research at the Carers Trust, said: “Young adult carers, who do so much for other people, should be able get the best possible education, but caring responsibilities are having a negative impact on the education of half of the carers in this sample.

"Student carers need the flexibility and support to ensure they can succeed and fulfil their potential."

Kelley Temple, women’s officer at the National Union of Students (NUS), said colleges and universities should do more to make support and services available to young adult carers and ensure they are identified early.

"Student carers - the majority of whom are women - are an invisible group in many universities and colleges,” she said.

“Despite the valuable service they provide to society, their support needs are often misunderstood or ignored by their education providers.

"Universities and colleges, as well as the government need to ensure that student carers are able to get the education they deserve."

The research was part of a wider study of young carers and young adult carers aged 14 to 25 undertaken as part of Carers Trust’s About Time programme.

The findings are based on the responses of 101 young people who were in further or higher education.