4.2 Young Carers Action Plan 2011 - 2014 |
This is a new chapter for November 2010
Also see:
Meeting the Needs of Young Carers within the Every Child Matters Framework
Inclusion of the Needs of Young Carers in the CYPP
Contents
1. Be Healthy
For Young Carers this means encouraging and supporting good physical, mental and emotional health.
Statistics and Facts
Multiple parental disadvantages (including disability and maternal mental illness) impacts on their children's own health
- 18% of children admit to having run away from home
- 16.3% spent less than an hour on physical activity in the last week
- 12.5% had not seen friends or participated in any organised social activity in the last week
- 5.4% had drunk alcohol in the last week
- 7.3% admit to feeling unhappy with their family.
Think Family : Family and children study 2005
Click here to view a table of 'Health Issues' and 'What would be better' and an 'outcomes' table
2. Stay Safe
Identifying young carers who could become at risk of physical or emotional harm and offering early or preventative support, and ensuring they are protected from inappropriate levels of care
Statistics and Facts
- 2% of families in Britain suffer multiple disadvantages( long standing illness, disability or infirmity, low income, poor mental health, unemployment) which contribute to them remaining in poverty with complex needs and low aspirations.
- 2/3% of young people under 16 of the overall population in England/Wales are the children of problematic substance parents. It has been estimated that there are at least 1383 Lewisham children affected by their parent/s problematic substance misuse
- Young carers can be relied on for adult tasks (child care, cooking, giving medicines) from as young as 4 years old.
- It is estimated that 50-75% of the looked after children population have experience of significant caring duties.
There are children assessed under child protection procedures and children in need receiving support whose caring responsibilities are significant , current systems in place are not set up to easily identify these children.
Two thirds of Young Carers reported being bullied at school in a report published by The Children's Society in 2010.
Click here to view a table of 'Safety Issues' and 'What would be better' and an 'outcomes' table
3.
Enjoy and Achieve
For Young Carers this means having the same opportunities for friendship, relaxation, fun, learning, and achievement as their peers who do not have caring responsibilities.
Statistics and Facts
More than 500 children and young people are registered with the Young Carers project in Lewisham, with a great number of them making use of the respite activities, mentoring service, and drop in sessions provided.
Research by Princess royal trust for Carers showed:
- 71 % young carers are bullied in school
- 33% believe teachers were not aware that they were young carers
- 28% would not tell their friends about their caring role
- A third of young carers regularly miss school and/or have educational difficulties because of their caring role
- Research shows the average age of young carers is 12 years old, however caring roles have been identified in children as young as 4 years.
4. Making a Positive Contribution
For Young Carers this means promoting and recognising young carers contributions and developing their participation in decision making Enabling choice and control for young carers, and offering opportunities beyond caring.
Statistics and Facts
- Lewisham Young carers are involved in awareness raising events, and participate in a Young Carers forum via the Young Carers Lewisham project
- Lewisham Young carers known to carers Lewisham Young Carers project have made a film about their experiences
- The Young Carers steering group are developing strategies to enable an increased number of Young Carers to be consulted about future strategies
- Lewisham Young Carers were asked to contribute to development of this strategy.
5.
Achieving Economic Well Being
For Young Carers this means overcoming socio- economic disadvantages to achieve their full potential and a secure future. Supporting young carers with the transition to adulthood, and helping them to access training and employment.
Statistics and Facts
- Young adult carers ( 16-25 year olds) fall between services and historically have a lower incidence of making use of Young Carers services and Adult carers services.
- 2% of families in Britain suffer multiple disadvantages( long standing illness, disability or infirmity, low income, poor mental health, unemployment) which contribute to them remaining in poverty with complex needs and low aspirations.
- There are 229,318 young adult carers (aged 18-24) in the UK which represents 5.3% (or five out of every 100) of the population in this age group. One quarter of all young adult carers (56,069) are providing care for more than 20 hours per week and almost 27,000 (12%) are providing care for more than 50 hours per week
- Young Carers frequently describe problems associated with living on benefits, low incomes, and inadequate housing
End