Cambridgeshire leads the way identifying young carers in the 2023 Schools Census

Early identification of a caring role is critical to minimise impact and ensure support.

This spring 2023, for the first-time, young carers were included on the school census return, to provide a better picture of the actual number of young carers in schools.

This helps the young carer:

• • • • to be identified (early identification can reduce the long term impact of caring)
• to be understood
• to potentially increase the support on offer them

Cambridgeshire has been named in the top 5 counties across the country.

What has Centre 33 been doing to support Cambridgeshire schools?

In the last three years we have been working hard with many schools to identify their young carers and to recommend they have a named ‘Champion’ who can offer timely support to all young carers in their schools.

‘Having someone at school to talk to about things at home, makes such a difference. I don’t feel like I have to repeat things over and over.’ (Sophia, Year 8)

Through this Local Authority funded work, over 250 Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Schools now have a named Young Carers Champion in place, a Young Carers Policy, have completed a Young Carers Training programme and have access to our specialist resources.

Earlier this year, along with our partners Caring Together, we called for even more schools to help ensure all young carers are supported.

It seems that this work has paid off.

What did the Census say?

Nationally schools have been under-identifying young carers with many reporting none or numbers  in the single digits. However locally, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, Bedford and Peterborough have all had more realistic numbers reported with Cambridgeshire in the top 5 counties across the country.

In Cambridgeshire 1.85% of all pupils are identified as being young carers (4,984 pupils) which is getting much closer to the real numbers of young carers out there.  

Why is it important?

Numbers of young carers are rising.

The 2021 census found that nearly 140,000 under-24s now acting as young carers and over 71,000 young people aged 18 to 24 are providing between 20 to 49 hours of unpaid care per week.

The impact of a caring role on young people is huge.

Research into youth caring in the UK identified that half of the respondents (14–25 years) had mental health issues.

The Sutton Trust found that ‘disadvantaged high attainers’ are three times more likely to be young carers.

Recent research from University College of London showed that young carers were 38 per cent less likely to get a degree than their peers, and those caring for 35 hours or more per week were 46 per cent less likely to enter employment than non-carers.

Young people’s participation in leisure activities often suffers due to their caring roles and many report feeling lonely and stressed.

The census figures show that the steps Cambridgeshire & Peterborough schools have taken already to identify local young carers, is making a huge difference.

We want to celebrate this news and look forward to more young people knowing how and where to access support at school if they have a caring role at home.

Kate Rees Director of Services at Centre 33 says:

‘We are committed to supporting schools to identify young carers, to ensure they have a Young Carers Champion in place and can offer ongoing support.

Caring can be very demanding and so many children and young people are providing significant care without their schools knowing. Having the census capture these numbers is a huge step in the right direction and we want to see all young carers identified in the future.’

Teacher and Young Carers Champion, Wisbech St Mary’s Academy says:

‘Knowing that you are not alone as a Young Carers Champion, that Centre 33 can answer queries, give ideas, and clarify things, makes a big difference. They have that wider knowledge and it’s really reassuring’

Miriam Martin, Chief Executive of Caring Together Charity, says:

“Nationally we have seen relatively low numbers of young carers being identified in the school census, given what we know from the Census 2021.

We strongly believe the higher numbers of young carers identified in schools in the county is a reflection of the good work to help carers that is being done in schools, and key to these young carers being properly supported”.

About Young Carers:

A young carer looks after someone in their family who has a mental or physical illness, disability or is dependent on drugs or alcohol. They offer emotional and practical support and take on tasks that are usually done by an adult including assisting with medication, personal care and supervision. Many young carers take on responsibilities from a very young age and as they become embedded in the caring role over time, without support, their access to wider opportunities can become more limited and their outcomes less good.