A snapshot survey (2018) found that half of young carers aged between 5 and 10 regularly suffer from a broken night’s sleep in order to look after unwell family members. It is known that the young carers that we know about are just the tip of the iceberg with many more going unnoticed by schools and other education settings. Research by Barnardo’s (2017) identified that over 40% of teachers were not confident that they would be able to identify a young carer in their class. A Carers Trust survey found that over a quarter of young carers find it hard to balance caring with school and college work. This rises to over half when they become young adults (18-25 years).
“They don’t seem to understand it’s a long-term thing, they just keep offering to delay things.”
Studies suggest that just over a quarter of young carers have needs of their own such as a disability. This can serve to further disadvantage them both in their daily lives and in school environments.
The importance of schools in providing support should not be underestimated, however this support should consider the specific issues that come with being a young carer. For example, research by the Children’s Commissioner (2016) identified the importance of the young carer’s phone to them. Their phone is a vital means for keeping in touch with those they cared for as well as the services around them:
“When my mum is not well or has had an operation, I worry about her. It would help if I could have times out of the day to use my phone or to check with her.”