EXCLUSIVE: North Norfolk MP tells us more funding's needed to help support young carers
The first ever parliamentary inquiry on the issue will examine the short and long-term effects that caring for somebody, can have on children
The MP for North Norfolk has exclusively told Greatest Hits Radio that more funding is needed to help support young carers.
The first ever parliamentary inquiry on the issue will examine the short and long-term effects that caring for somebody, can have on children.
There are an estimated one million young carers aged under-18 in the UK, with many more young adults who hold similar responsibilities.
How are young carers being affected?
A report from University College London released in May shows that young adult carers were 38% less likely to get a degree than their peers.
While those caring for more than 35 hours a week were 86% less likely. Carers aged 23 or over were also less likely than non-carers to enter employment.
Carers Trust found that over half of young and young adult carers were spending more time caring than the year before, while 47% are looking after more people than they used to.
Since the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Young Carers and Young Adult Carers was started last year, they have heard that children as young as five are looking after family members. Meaning they are often taking on responsibilities way beyond their years.
The 2021 census has found that 1,771 children aged five to seven were caring for more than 50 hours a week – a figure that has increased in the past decade.
"Need better social care provisions for those parents"
Duncan Baker - who's also Vice Chair of the cross party group for Young Carers and Young Adult Carers - tells us what needs to change.
He told us what's needed to help change this:
"Funding is the most important thing. If you have got young carers looking after their parents and they are having to come straight home after school to not be kids but be an adult carer- despite being six years old- that says to me we need better social care provisions for those parents".
"We suspect that there are significant links with the life chances of those young people who grow up and then go onto education, meaning they don't end up being able to have the same degree or career prospects as perhaps you or I."
"Bring it to the attention of the Government"
He told us what they are hoping to achieve through this:
"To be able to raise the profile of this and bring it to the attention of the Government, the state of play with young carers and how their life prospects are being impacted.
We have had the Children's Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza at one of our meetings in January, she said we need better support in education and the workplace".
What happens next?
The All-Party Parliamentary Group inquiry launches at 5pm on Wednesday. It's being supported by a group of 11 youth advisors and Carers Trust. The Online launch event will mark the opening of the group's call for evidence.