Young carers- guidance
Who is a carer?
A child or young person aged under 18 who provide regular or on-going care and emotional support to a family members who is:
- physically ill
- mentally ill
- disabled
- misuses substances.
A Young Carer with excessive or inappropriate caring responsibility should be considered a ˜Child In Need.
˜Excessive or Inappropriate Caring Responsibilities are those that mean a young carer is unlikely to achieve or maintain, or to have the opportunity of achieving or maintaining, a reasonable standard of health or development without the provision of services by a local authority under this Section 17 of the Children Act.
For information on how to raise safeguarding concerns, or refer a young carer with needs to Council services, click here.
Many young carers who do not meet this threshold may still have a need for support.
A Young Carer with excessive or inappropriate caring responsibility should be considered a ˜Child In Need.
For more details on who could be considered a young carer, see the guidance below.
- Identification and Referral (All Professionals)
- Meeting Needs (All Professionals)
- Early Help & Targeted Services: Determining Needs
- Children and Young Adults Team: Determining Needs
- Adult Social Care Guidance
A (provisional) leaflet for distribution to Young Carers or their families is available here.