There has been increasing emphasis in social care policy and practice in England on provision of paid support and services for the person cared for to meet the needs of unpaid carers, including young and young adult carers. In the majority of cases the person cared for by young carers is an adult.
Key legislation includes:
Children and
Families Act 2014
- Entitlement to an assessment from the Local Authority for all children aged under 18 identified as having caring responsibilities.
- Must also be an automatic assessment of the needs of the adult they are caring for.
- The assessment:
- should look at whether caring has an impact on the young carer’s wellbeing, personal development, physical and mental health and consider the needs of the young carer, including their needs to participate fully in education and employment
- must consider the option of the young carer’s needs for support being met by providing services to the person they care for.
Care Act 2014
- Duty to provide carers’ assessment to all adult carers, including young adult carers, so that they can fulfil their aspirations in relation to their education, employment and health.
- Requirement to check if any children have caring responsibilities when professionals are assessing an adult for care needs.
- Duty to assess young carers before they turn 18, referred to as a transition assessment.
- On the basis of a transition assessment, local authorities must indicate whether the young carer is likely to have eligible needs for support under the Care Act 2014, give advice and information about what can be done to meet those needs, and prevent or delay the development of needs.
