Getting It Right for Young Carers, Summary

8/8/2019 Getting It Right for Young Carers, Summary

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Getting It Right

For Young CarersThe Young Carers Strategy for

Scotland: 2010 - 2015 Summary



This summary of ‘Getting It Right For Young Carers’ is for you as a young carer, your friends, relatives or for anyone else you think would like to read it. Although this is a summary, it is 28 pages long – that is because

there are so many issues about young carers. Thesummary includes a massive 31 quotes from youngcarers of all ages and in all caring situations. Thequotes are in speech bubbles – just look at them for the best summary of what young carers think and say.

Introduction

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The Scottish Government and the Convention ofScottish Local Authorities (who represent the 32local councils in Scotland) have worked together toproduce a new strategy for those of you who are

young carers.

The strategy is called Getting It Right For YoungCarers. This booklet provides a summary of thestrategy’s main points.

Many other organisations who work with you havehelped to produce Getting It Right For YoungCarers. Some of you have also helpfully contributed,and your quotes are included in this summary.

By ‘young carer’ we mean “a child or young

person aged under 18 who has a

signicant role in looking after someone

else who is experiencing illness or

disability”. 1

This means that you are a ‘young carer’ if you helpto look after a parent, grandparent, brother or sister,or another relative, or a friend or neighbour, who isunwell, or is disabled. You will be a young carer ifyou are helping to look after someone who has amental health problem, or who is having difcultyas a result of their use of illegal or prescription drugsor alcohol.

1 The Care 21 Report; The Future of Unpaid Care in Scotland www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/02/28094157/0

A young carer is a

young person wholooks after someonewho is ill, and cannotmanage to look after

themselves and issometimes in

hospital.Sandra, 11 years

“

”As a young carer I

know that I have to lookafter my mum and help

her to get better and I knowthat she is not able to do

things for herself.

Fiona, 9 years

“

”3



Some children and young people like being youngcarers. You have a good role within the home, whichallows you to show your commitment and love toa family member. It can help you to gain skills and

to become more grown-up and independent.

However, we have produced Getting It Right For Young Carers because we are concerned thatcaring can sometimes have a bad impact on yourlives, for example, on your health and well-being,opportunities and development.

Getting It Right For Young Carers highlights theimportance of recognising the rights that all childrenand young people have under the United NationsConvention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).

We know that the demands that you face cansometimes deny you your UNCRC rights. Inparticular, the right:

• to be protected from discrimination (article 2)

• to form and express your own views (article 12)

• to life, survival and healthy development (article 6)

• to spend time with friends (article 15)

• to enjoy opportunities for leisure and to relaxand play (article 31)

• to education (article 28 and 29)

Getting It Right For Young Carers says that staff inall organisations need to think about what they cando, and do what they can, to promote your rights.

Many young people who are providing care do notsee themselves as ‘young carers.’ You may havebeen one of these young people yourself. Youare often not seen as ‘young carers’ by theorganisations that support you, or that couldprovide you with support.

Getting It Right For Young Carers has also beenwritten to help staff and agencies working with

children and young people - in schools, healthservices, social work and other settings - to bemuch more aware of the issues affecting you.

Being a youngcarer, there is no time tohave a childhood. It’s like

living in “dog years,” you growup much quicker than everyone

else your own age. I feel as ifmy life has been much longerthan it actually has, I havebrought up a family from

the age of 8.Siobhan, 19 years

“

”4



Getting It Right For Young Carers is also very relevantto those health and social care staff supportingadults affected by disability, illness or who haveproblems with alcohol or drugs. This is because we

see that the best way to support you is to takeaway some of the caring you do, by providingbetter support to the person you are caring for.

By raising the awareness of staff, such as socialworkers, health visitors and teachers, they willbetter understand the issues affecting you and willbe more able to identify those of you who providecare. In turn, this will help to make sure that youare given the support that you may need.

So, while we see the good things that caring canbring, the key aim of the strategy is to supportagencies to take away from you any caring rolethat is too much or not appropriate – things that

may have a bad impact on your health and well-being. In doing so, you will be supported to bechildren and young people rst.

In producing Getting It Right For Young Carers,we have linked it closely to the ScottishGovernment’s Getting It Right For Every

Child (GIRFEC) programme, which is beingtaken forward across Scotland.

GIRFEC is an important new approach that allagencies are encouraged to use. It helps to make surethat all agencies work more closely together to supportchildren and young people to have a better life.

GIRFEC provides an assessment tool that staff in allagencies can use to gather information about ayoung person. It puts the child at the centre of theprocess and identies and builds on the supportthat they may already get from their familyand local community.

GIRFEC involves the child in the assessment processand then in the process of developing an actionplan. As more and more agencies start to take onthe GIRFEC approach, you will benet from theseagencies working more closely together to providebetter and earlier support to all young people whoneed it. This will include you as a young carer.

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Some studies think there are over 100,000 youngcarers in Scotland. However, different studiesestimate different numbers. This is because thereare different denitions of a ‘young carer’ andbecause not all services keep information on thenumbers of young carers they are working with.

In 2001, the Census in Scotland identied 16,701young carers. This number is much lower thanother estimates. This is probably because theCensus questionnaire is lled in by adults andbecause many of you are not identied or do notsee yourselves as ‘young carers’. The next Censuswill be in 2011 and it will be interesting to see howmany ‘young carers’ are identied 10 years on.

People who plan services and provide supportneed to know more about all young carers andresearch and studies can help with this.

One major study2 found that: many of you areliving in lone parent families; your average age asa young carer is 12 years; most of you are caringfor someone with a physical health problem; justover half of you are caring for your mothers; a thirdof you are caring for a brother or sister; many ofyou are providing emotional support, in addition

to more practical help and personal care; one in tenof you are caring for more than one person; halfof you are caring for 10 hours or less, one third for11-20 hours and 16% for over 20 hours; caring canstart at an early age and continue for a long time.

While all of you are individuals, you may also havesome issues in common. Some of you will alsohave other particular challenges. For example,some young carers are lesbian, gay, bisexual ortransgender, others come from minority ethniccommunities and some live in rural areas. You aredealing with the normal demands of growing up,as well as the demands of caring, and sometimesalso with other demands and pressures.

2 C. Dearden and S. Becker (2004) – “Young Carersin the UK; the 2004 report”.

Prole of Young Carers

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The Good

We have said that caring for a family member orfriend with a disability or illness can be a goodexperience. Here is more detail on that.

By helping in the family, you can feel more valuedand included. What you do can also give yougreater responsibility and can build up your self-esteem. Providing care can also make you more

mature, more condent and more able to dealwith problems.

Caring can also help young people gain skills inmanaging money, looking after the home, caringfor other children, making appointments anddealing with health and social care services.

The Bad

When you have to take on too many caringresponsibilities, or carry out caring roles that arenot appropriate, this can be bad for your health,well-being, safety and development.

While all of you will deal differently with thechallenges and pressures you face, some possibleeffects of caring are summarised below:

School/CollegeCaring can place demands on you that affect youreducation. This can result in problems withattendance, being late for school, not being ableto do homework and having difcultyconcentrating in class.

This can affect how well you do at school.

The Effects of Caring on Young Carers

“

”

7

Being a young carermeans I can make sure my

mum’s ok, and I can feel proud ofmyself for ensuring she’s safe and

stable. You get to feel proud and likeyou’re really making a difference to

someone in a good way. You learn skillsabout how to be independent and be

able to function when I move out.We are more understanding and

accepting of the problems facedby others.Rachel B, 17 years



I miss a lot ofschool time because I

am tired as I may havebeen up helping my

mum with her tabletsduring the night.

Roberta, 10 years

“

”

Sometimes I sleep on the

couch in my sister’s roomto give mum and dad a break.It’s hard to sleep because I’mafraid she’ll stop breathing.It’s hard to cope with school

the next day cause I’m

shattered.Amy, 12 years

“

”

Sometimes teacherscan help a lot as they

know you are a young carerand they can help you tocatch up with your work, butsometimes they do not knowyou are a young carer and Ido not like to tell anyone as

they sometimes thinkyou are strange.

Catriona, 13 years

”

“

8



Health – Physical and MentalThe demands of caring can affect your physicaland mental health. For example, helping to lift andmove someone who cannot easily movethemselves can, over time, cause neck and backproblems and affect your physical development.

Taking on responsibilities that would normally fallto an adult can put a lot of pressure on you. Thiscan sometimes mean that you may suffer fromdepression and stress. As you can’t always join in

with others the same age, you can feel ‘different’.You may be bullied. The pressures you are undercan sometimes mean you get into trouble. You feelmore alone and you may keep more secrets aboutyour home life.

You often have to deal with a lot of worry about thehealth of the person you are caring for. You may bescared that you might have the same healthproblems when you are older.

You can’t really tell peopleabout your home life, it’s kind

of a “taboo” subject. Most of usdon’t receive help until we’re atbreaking point. I don’t get to see my

friends as much as I’d like to, andhave to make really bad excuses

why I’m upset or can’t go out. PlusI’m more tied to what I can do

and where I can go for

my own life.Rachel B, 17 years

“

”

I want to know if I’mgoing to get epilepsy. My

mum has lost teeth and hasbruises all over from when shefalls. No one can tell me if I will.

I just try not to think about itall the time, but it’s hard.Katie, 12 years

“

”

9



When you suddenly have to take on a caring role,or when this ends suddenly, it can be very difcultfor you to cope with.

If you are living in a family where your parent orother relative misuses alcohol or drugs, you maynot get positive support and you may have to lookafter yourself. You may not eat that well or youmay miss health checks and appointments at thedentist, which can affect your own health.

Social

The demands of caring can limit your free timeand the chances you have to meet up with friends.

When my dad died Ilost my home, my

routine, my way of doingthings and my important

role in the family.Erin, 13 years

“

”

My dad was themain carer for my mum,

even though he didn’t keep wellhimself. He died suddenly and Ibecame the main carer for her.She suffers from epilepsy and

depression... I was coming up for17 and studying for my Highers...I was under enormous pressure.

I was at my wits end and feltlike I was drowning underall the pressure.

Caitlin, 17 years

“

”

I cannot go out andplay with friends

because I have to helpmy dad and my littlebrother who has autismand he is not able to tellmy dad what is wrong.

David, 14 years

“

” 10



MoneyMany of you live in families that do not have a lotof money.

This may be because you live with a disabled adultwho is less likely to be working and more likely tobe relying on benets. Or, if you have a brother orsister with a disability, your mum or dad may havehad to give up work to be a full-time carer.

In families where parents are misusing drugs oralcohol, you are more likely to have nancialproblems. This can stop you from having yourmost basic needs met.

Those of you who are older may also lose out onbenets and opportunities because of your caringresponsibility.

Neglect and AbuseIn some situations some of you will not be lookedafter properly or will be at risk of harm.

One study3

showed that these risks are greaterwhen a young person: lives with a parent whomisuses alcohol or drugs; lives with a single parent;doesn’t have opportunities to have lots of supportfrom friends and others; has a lot of stress in theirfamily life; doesn’t have anyone they feel they canturn to; lives in a family where there are healthworries, nancial problems or housing issues.

Some of you may be living in these kindsof situations.

My problem is that Ihad to drop out of 5th year at

school to look after my mother.I get no benets as I am under 18

so I am not entitled to Carer’s Allowanceor Income Support, as I still live withmy mother and they say I am her

dependent. But if I moved out and stoppedcaring for my mum, I would be able to

claim benets and rent too and also shewould need a lot more support fromoutside. So by carrying on caring Iam saving the government a lot

of money, but I don’t feelsupported.Andy, 17 years

“

” 11

Everything was ne

when my mum wasn’tdrinking, but when she gotdrunk it could be for weeks at atime. My brother had to stealmoney out of her purse to getus something to eat out of thechippy. We were only weans,but we couldn’t tell anybody in

case we got taken into care.Stephen, 12 years

“

”3

G. Armstrong “Young Carers’ Health and Well Being; A Pilot Study”.



Identifying Young CarersMany children and young people do not see

themselves as ‘young carers’. Many are notidentied as such by the services they are incontact with.

Over the next few years, all children and youngpeople in Scotland will get support, whether or notthey have been identied as a young carer. This isquite a new Government programme, which iscalled Getting It Right For Every Child .

Many of the young carers who attended theScottish Young Carers Festivals in 2008 and 2009said that they felt that teachers, health servicestaff and social workers could do much more nowto identify and support them.

TeachersTeachers may be able to pick up that someone isa young carer through their day-to-day contactwith their pupils, or when taking registration, orproviding guidance support – also when lookinginto concerns about attendance or behaviour, orhow well pupils are doing.

There is a new curriculum which will begin in

schools on 2010, called the Curriculum for Excellence which will encourage teachers to thinkmore about why some pupils might not begetting on as well as they should at school. There is also a law called The Education(Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act2009 which says that if you are a young carer,you have a right to help you attend school andget on well while at school.

The Scottish Government has given the PrincessRoyal Trust for Carers funding to help teachers inprimary schools to identify and support youngeryoung carers. It is important that very young

children get help as soon as possible, so that thebad effects of caring do not spoil their lives.

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Staff who work in Health ServicesStaff who work in health services are often in agood position to identify young carers. When theyare working with an adult who is ill, disabled or who

has a problem with drugs or alcohol, they can askthe adult about how their illness or disability affectsthe children in the family.

It is most likely that you know better than anyoneelse how the person you are caring for is getting on.However, some of you have told us that when youare a young carer, you are often left feelingfrustrated that doctors and consultants don’t askyour opinions and leave you out of the plans theymake for the person you look after.

Some of the things we have recently put in placewhich will make this situation better include:

• with funding from the Scottish Government,

every area has developed a ‘Carer InformationStrategy’. This means that health staff aregetting training and information about how toidentify and support young carers.

• the Royal College of General PractitionersScotland is putting together information onidentifying and supporting young carers. This

will be sent to every doctor’s surgery in Scotlandin 2010-11.

• NHS Education in Scotland will be looking athow they can raise awareness of young carerissues in staff training.

GPs and doctorshaven’t taken any

consideration into mypoint of view of the illnessdespite the fact I help my

parent with this illness24/7. It’s frustrating.

Rachel B, 17 years

“

”I’m 17 yet when my

mum was in hospital no onewould discuss my mum’s

situation with me. I’m her maincarer and have been since I canremember. It’s humiliating andfrustrating not being involved in

decisions about my mum yet Iam considered old enough tocare for her.Rachel O, 17 years

“

” 13



Social WorkersBecause social workers often go into people’shomes where there is illness and disability, andsometimes other problems, they are well placed to

identify and support young carers.

It is important that social workers make sure thatthe plans they make for an adult do not depend onyou carrying out tasks you do not want or are notable to do or which are just too difcult or personal.

They should also recognise that as young carers,you need to be kept informed and involved whenyou can be.

OthersAll organisations working with children and youngpeople need to recognise that a number of you willbe young carers. This applies, for example, to:

youth clubs, after-school clubs; other child careorganisations; churches; and the emergency services.

It feels like I’m

invisible when people(agencies) come into thehouse. They don’t talk to me.

I care for my mum all the time,but they don’t think they

should be telling meanything. It makes me

really angry.Andy, 17 years

“

”

I think it is a goodidea to try and raiseawareness about the

things we have to do asyoung carers, although

sometimes young carersdo not want everyone

to know.Jayne, 13 years

”

“

Everyoneshould be told how to

recognise a young careras this is the only way

we can get help.Dean, 14 years“

” 14



Young Carers Assessment –What do you need to help you?You have a legal right to ask for an assessment.This can be of great help to you to get theinformation and support you need so that you are

not doing things which are too difcult for you.

We are trying to encourage more young carers toask for an assessment, as we do not want you tobe doing anything which may cause you harm.

You can ask anyone in your school, at your healthcentre, or any social worker to do this for you.They may not do the assessment themselves, but

they should be able to put you in touch withsomeone who will work through this with you.

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Supporting Young CarersYoung carers can be supported in a number ofways – in this section, we look at some of them.

It is best if support can be provided to all youngpeople before they begin to experience difculties.If you are a young carer, this means it is

important to identify and support you before thecaring role begins to have a bad effect on you.

Support to the person you care for The best way of making sure that you are nothaving to do too much caring is for health andsocial workers to provide good quality care andsupport to the person you care for. Staff shouldalso ask about what you do for the person youlook after, and ask if you need help too.

Young Carers GroupsThere are nearly 50 young carers’ groups acrossScotland. They are in touch with about 3,500young carers. These young carers’ groups allmeet together four times a year and callthemselves the Scottish Young Carer Services

Alliance (SYCSA).

The type of things a young carers group doesincludes:

• emotional support and counselling, throughtalking to you as an individual;

• group activities, which provide chances to meetother young carers and try new things; and

• “time out” from caring and organising shortbreaks and holidays that many of youmight otherwise not be able to have.

Social workershelped me and my

brothers, but not my mum.Which means if

you don’t help her…youaren’t helping me at all.

Young Carer, Scottish Young CarersFestival, 2009

“

” 16



Some young carers’ services also provide training,support to the whole family, advocacy support, orwork within schools.

You have told us very good things about thesupport you receive from your young carers’groups, and about the difference this can make toyour life. One thing which seems really important ishow good it is to be able to be in touch with otheryoung people in a similar situation.

You are also very keen about the support youreceive from the workers in these groups and abouttheir commitment to supporting you.

Young carers’ groups are working very hard tosupport as many young carers as they can. TheSYCSA is helping to support these groups: todevelop the work that they are doing; to share

information and resources; to raise other people’s

awareness of young carers; and to make sure thatthey work closely with other services like schoolwhich can help you.

Many young carers’ groups have to work hard toget funding so that they can continue to do thework they do. With all the talk about services beingcut, it is also important that young carers’ groupsshow that they provide good value for money.

The Scottish Government will work closely with theScottish Young Carer Services Alliance to promote

the work of young carers’ groups, so that peopleunderstand what they do, and use them properly.

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I honestlysay I love my group so

much and it has helped meto feel really condent. I also

feel as if I can be more openabout my situation and feelings.I absolutely love the staff and thegirls and I know for certain theywill always be my friends. I feelcomfortable with them and wehave hundreds of laughs and

lots of memories.Brooklynn, 15 years

“

”They offer

support andopportunities to discuss

the issues we face on adaily basis. They help usa lot with family

problems.Young Carer, Scottish Young

Carers Festival, 2009

“

”Always have thatshoulder to cry on.First person I would

talk to about anything.They are awesome.

Young Carer, Scottish Young CarersFestival, 2009

“

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Support to Young Carers in your SchoolYou have told us that head teachers, teachers,guidance teachers and support staff in schools canplay an important part in identifying and

supporting young carers.n

Unfortunately, sometimes schools don’t recognisehow your caring responsibilities can affect yourattendance, concentration, performance and

behaviour. Sometimes, the way teachers react tothis is not helpful, and they might discipline yourather than give support.

In my school they didunderstand my situation,

because I talked to myguidance teacher. After that

they helped me and mybrothers to get transport to goand see my mum in hospital.My registration teacher was

the best.Young Carer, Scottish Young


“

”

Teacherscould be moreunderstanding

about our needs.Young Carer, Scottish Young

Carers Festival, 2009“

”Teachers shouldtake time to think

about what we do athome and ask us if we

are ok sometimes.Young Carer, Scottish Young


“

” 18





Young carers have also told us that doctors coulddo better at providing them with information andadvice.

Later in 2010 or in 2011, all doctors in Scotland will

receive information that will raise their awarenessof young carers, the issues they face and the needto support them.

Information for young carers will also be availablesometime soon on an NHS website. The ‘CarersInformation Zone’ will provide advice on caring and

information on where young carers can get support.

Advocacy All children have the right to have their voice heardwhen decisions are being made which affect them.There are many situations where your views

should be taken into account. Sometimes you needother people to speak up for you, and representwhat you think. This is called advocacy.

The Scottish Government is carrying out work tomake advocacy support for children better. This willconsider the particular needs you may have as ayoung carer.

Young Carers’ Health and Well-beingSometimes because you are caring, you may feelunwell, tired, upset, angry or emotional.

Young carers’ groups can help with some of this.They give information and advice on your health

and on how you might be feeling, arrange healthchecks and doctors’ appointments and they canprovide support and advice for you when you go tosee your doctor. They can also give you advice andhelp about how to keep healthy and aboutpersonal safety.

Workers in these groups will also listen to you when

you want to talk about some of the problems youare having. They will help you to say what youthink about things and help you to make sense ofyour situation.

The Scottish Government has funded a MentalHealth Development Worker. This person will make

more information available for young carers who

Help us to knowwhat we should do

when we are lookingafter someone who has

mental health issues.Young Carer, Scottish Young Carers

Festival, 2009

“

”

Explainthings properly

to us.Young Carer, Scottish Young


“

”

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care for someone with a mental health problem.She will also provide support to improve youngcarers’ mental health and well-being by gettingmore expert people involved.

Breaks from CaringTo enjoy your childhood, you need to be able totake a break from caring and get away from theresponsibilities for a while.

Many of you may be feeling quite alone andfeeling that you can’t talk to friends about the

situation at home. If you are able to attend ayoung carers group, you can meet other youngpeople who are also young carers, and you canalso take part in activities to help you feel better,

and get some time out of the house. Some youngcarers’ groups organise ‘residentials’, and evenholidays. You could also try joining a youth orsports club in your area. You might need some help

to do this, and this is the kind of thing you couldmention if anyone asks you if you need any helpbecause you are a young carer. Sometimesarrangements can be made for someone else to gointo your home to give you some time out.

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Young Carer TrainingYou might feel that you need some training to helpyou stay safe, and look after yourself when you arecaring for someone. You might need some help inbuilding your condence, or in trying to cope withfeeling stressed.

Training can provide knowledge and skills to help

you understand the condition of the person youcare for and how to provide them with assistance.However, we do not want to train you to do thingsthat you shouldn’t really be doing at your age,things which are not right for you or which aredangerous. We just want to make sure that youare safe.

TelecareTelecare is the term used to describe the use oftechnology to provide support to people withdisabilities, frailty or health problems in their ownhome. These are things like bracelets and necklaceswhich have a button to let someone know they arein difculties. The Scottish Government hasinvested £20 million in telecare in recent years.

Getting It Right For Young Carers says that moreshould be done to explore how telecare can helpyoung carers.

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Young Adult Carers

Young carers aged between 16 and 25 years can

face particular challenges. At a time when otherstheir age are leaving school and making plans foremployment, training and education, young adultcarers often have to deal with demands,responsibilities and emotions that limit theirfuture opportunities.

Young adult carers may, for example:

• be committed to continue to provide care, butmay not be able to tell others, including careersadvisors and jobcentre staff, that this is whythey are not making other plans;

• feel that they have to continue to care, orprofessionals may assume they are going to;

• be anxious about leaving home becauseof worries about the person they care for or fearthat a younger brother or sister may have totake on caring responsibilities; and

• be desperate to leave home at the earliestopportunity, but not have the knowledge andskills to deal with the challenges this brings.

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Many young adult carers face these difcultieswhen their young carers’ group is no longer able tosupport them, either because they have a highdemand for places or because they aren’t funded

to work with young people over 18 years.

Young adult carers also don’t feel that they t in tothe services provided by Carers Centres for adultcarers.

Some young carers’ groups have been able tocreate groups for older young carers.

The Scottish Government and its partners are alsodelivering a number of services and projects thattry to ensure that young people who mightotherwise be left out are able to access training,employment or further education.

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Recognisewe need help

until 25 years.Young Carer, Scottish YoungCarers Festival, 2009“

”I have got mycondence back since I

became involved with theproject. The only thing I have

found challenging is to get up inthe morning and leave my mumwhen she is upset. I have enjoyedmeeting new people and seeing

my worker because she isvery nice and boosts my

condence.Pauline, 17 years

“

”

When working withthe staff at the project

I feel it is a relief becauseI know I can off-load and

anything I say is incondence. I feel I amgetting more opportunities

in various different areasin my life.Laura, 19 years

”

“



Summary of Action PointsThe long version of this strategy, Getting It Right

For Young Carers, sets out all the Action Points tobe taken forward over the next ve years. Thereare a lot of actions, some to do with research,gathering data, encouraging others to identifyand support young carers and so on. Some of theactions you may nd of most interest are:

• The Scottish Government will give the Princess

Royal Trust for Carers funding of £150,000 todeliver a Scottish Young Carers’ Festival in 2011.

• The Scottish Young Carers Services Alliance will

work in partnership with LGBT Youth Scotlandin order to develop information, advice andsupport for LGBT young carers.

• By 2012, local authority Education Services willwish to look again at their policies, proceduresand approaches for identifying young carersin schools.

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• The Scottish Government will work with theScottish Young Carers Services Alliance toproduce a practice guide on young carers forteachers and schools.

• In 2010-11, the Scottish Government will workwith the Royal College of General PractitionersScotland to provide guidance to all GP practiceson young carer identication and support.

• In 2010-12, NHS Education for Scotland (NES)will review training, education, and learningmodules for working with young carers; identifycore competencies for NHS staff in identifyingand supporting young carers; and identifypackages and materials to be included in training.

• From 2010 onwards, the Scottish Governmentwill work with NHS Boards to ensure thatidentifying and supporting young carers isincluded in workforce training.

• From 2010 onwards, the Scottish Government

will promote this strategy with Alcohol and DrugPartnerships to help support young carersaffected by parental substance misuse.

• By 2012, local authority Education Services willwish to review the approaches they have inplace for making sure that young carers aresupported in school and to make sure that theyare not disadvantaged because of the impactof their caring roles.

• The Scottish Government will consider theneeds of young carers in its work on developingadvocacy support to young people.

• The Scottish Government will continue to supportlocal authorities and their partners to implement16+ Learning Choices. This will include workingclosely with Skills Development Scotland in itsrole as the national provider of careersinformation, advice and guidance.

• By 2011, the Scottish Government and relevantpartners will develop a “Young Adult CarersAction Plan”.

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IMPORTANT If you have been affected by anything youhave read in this short version of ‘Getting It Right For Young Carers’ – especially aroundissues of neglect and abuse – then pleaseget in touch straight away on the following:

Child Line – 0800 1111

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w w w . s c o t l a n d . g o v . u k

© Crown copyright 2010

ISBN: 978-0-7559-9558-5

This document is also available on the Scottish Government website:www.scotland.gov.uk

Further copies are available fromThe Scottish GovernmentCarers Policy Branch

St Andrew’s House (2ER)Regent RoadEdinburghEH1 3DG Telephone: 0131 244 4040Email: [email protected]

APS Group Scotland

DPPAS10402 (08/10)

The illustrations in this summary of Getting It Right For YoungCarers have been produced by Alex Leonard of Tambo Illustrationand are used with the kind permission of Orkney Carers Centre.

Documents

Getting It Right for Young Carers, Summary