🙏 Young Carers: Educational Opportunities

• Young Carers’ Challenges in Education: The debate highlighted significant challenges young carers face in educational settings, including negative impacts on their education, inconsistent support, and low awareness of their needs among educators. Statistics show that 48% of young carers reported being bullied, 44% struggle to study for exams due to caring responsibilities, and 31% are regularly late for school.

• Importance of Identification: There is a strong call for better identification of young carers in schools. Currently, many schools do not recognize or report having any young carers, which hampers the provision of necessary support. The Department for Education’s efforts to include young carers in the school census were praised, but more comprehensive measures are needed.

• Support Systems and Training: Proposals included mandatory training on young carers for teachers and the appointment of a designated young carer lead in every school to streamline support and reduce the stigma and anxiety young carers often experience. The Young Carers in Schools programme was highlighted for its positive impact on awareness and support within schools.

• Transitions and Higher Education: Young carers face significant difficulties during educational transitions, which require more tailored support, especially when applying to university. Many young carers feel forced to choose universities close to home to continue their caring roles, limiting their educational opportunities.

• Mental Health and Wellbeing: The debate touched on the mental health challenges faced by young carers, with 38% reporting mental health issues while in school. The government’s commitment to placing mental health professionals in schools was welcomed, though the timeline for implementation remains unclear.

• Government and Policy Actions: The government is committed to supporting young carers through initiatives like the pupil premium fund (though not specifically for young carers), and by considering a unique identifier to improve information sharing between agencies. The debate urged continued and increased recognition and support for young carers across all levels of education and government policy.

• Personal Stories and Advocacy: Several MPs shared personal experiences, emphasizing the resilience and dedication of young carers, and the need for society to recognize and support their efforts. The debate concluded with a call for continued advocacy and awareness to ensure young carers are not overlooked in educational and societal frameworks.

The parliamentary session on educational opportunities for young carers displayed minimal disagreement among the participants. The debate was characterized by a strong consensus on the issues faced by young carers and the need for greater support in educational settings. Key points of agreement included:

1. Identification and Awareness: Multiple speakers, such as Chris Vince, Leigh Ingham, and Cameron Thomas, emphasized the critical need for better identification and recognition of young carers within schools. This consensus is evident from Vince’s welcome of the DFE’s commitment to better identification and Thomas’s mention of every school in Gloucestershire having a young carers lead.

2. Educational Impact: The impact of caring responsibilities on young carers’ education was a recurring theme, with speakers like Daniel Francis and Alison Bennett highlighting the high absenteeism rates and the need for better academic and pastoral support. Danny Kruger supported this view by citing statistics from the Carers Trust.

3. Support Systems: There was a united call for more structured support systems in schools, including mandatory teacher training on young carers, as suggested by Chris Vince and supported by the Minister, Catherine McKinnell. The idea of a dedicated young carers lead in each school was also broadly supported.

4. Higher Education: The challenges young carers face in progressing to higher education were acknowledged by Alison Bennett and Danny Kruger, who both stressed the need for better support mechanisms and policies to help young carers pursue further education.

5. Government and Policy: The session ended with Minister McKinnell aligning with the concerns raised and offering specific governmental measures in progress, such as improved data collection in the school census and reforms to teacher training. This alignment with the MPs’ concerns further underscores the consensus.

The only minor disagreement was a subtle defense of past government policies by Danny Kruger against criticisms from Alison Bennett, but even this was done in a manner that acknowledged the validity of the concerns raised and suggested possible enhancements, rather than outright rejection of the criticism.

In conclusion, the session demonstrated a shared understanding and agreement on the challenges faced by young carers and the necessary actions required to support them, which is why it rates low on the disagreement scale.