Twenty one percent of councils lack provision for young carers during school holidays, research finds.

Based on a Freedom of Information (FOI) request answered by 141 local authorities in England and Wales, charity Action for Children has revealed roughly 90% of young carers could be in need of council support.

According to the charity, around 800,000 young carers between the ages of 11 and 16 exist across England, yet the FOI found that only 84,256 carers aged 17 or below are registered.

The research also determined that 21% of councils don’t offer school holiday provision for young carers, aside from that provided through Government initiatives such as the Holiday Activities Fund.

Making Support Accessible

Highlighting the ‘inconsistent levels of support’ available across local authorities, the charity found that some councils provide young carers with discount cards for local amenities, whilst others rely on grants and donations to fund services.

Paul Carberry, Chief Executive at Action for Children, emphasised that access to ‘specialist support’ is ‘vital’ for young carers, who can experience heightened ‘loneliness, anxiety and stress’ during school holidays.

‘It gives them a break from their responsibilities, a chance to have fun and be a child, and to meet other young people in similar situations who understand what they’re going through.’

He added: ‘Services for young carers also give support workers an opportunity to spot problems early before they hit crisis point.

‘The Government must ensure councils have sufficient funding so that all young carers have access to these essential services.’

Barriers to service delivery

Cllr Arooj Shah, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Children and Young People Board, said: ‘Supporting and improving the wellbeing and rights of young carers is a priority for councils’.

She added: ‘Every young carer has a right to an assessment to find out if they need additional support, and councils will do all they can to provide this support where needs are identified. However, finding young carers is challenging as they are often isolated and hidden from view.

‘With around 1,700 referrals to children’s social care services every day, councils continue to face mounting pressures providing vital support to children and young people. This high level of demand, alongside significant funding challenges, has severely stretched councils’ ability to provide the support needed to all carers.’