Young Carers Rights in England
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In England, there are three main laws that recognise young carers and set out your rights: The Children Act 1989, The Care Act 2014 and the Health and Care Act 2022.
These include the right for every young carer to have a needs assessment to work out what support they need.
The Government has also given local councils clear guidance on what they have to do to support young carers.
The Children Act 1989
This act says what councils should do to help children and their families who may need extra help. It says they must:
- work with communities so that young carers are recognised.
- carry out young carers’ needs assessments. They must do this if a young person appears to need help or if the young carer or their family ask to be assessed.
- make sure that young carers and their families have the information they need and can access advice and support.
The Care Act 2014
This Act says councils must:
- carry out assessments for older young carers (for example, young carers aged 16 and 17) to consider what their needs will be and what support will be required when they turn 18.
- make sure that young carers are not left with caring tasks that are too much for someone their age to deal with.
- identify children in the household and find out if they are young carers and what help they might need.
The Health and Care Act 2022
This Act says that the NHS should work together with councils to:
- identify young carers and make sure they have access to help and advice.
- consult young carers about the needs of the person they look after.
- consult young carers about changes in policies that affect them and their family or how health and social care services are delivered.
It also says that if a young carer looks after an adult who is in hospital, then hospitals (including inpatient mental health services) should consult the young carer before they discharge the adult from hospital.
What is a young carer assessment
Organising and preparing for your young carer assessment
What to expect during and after your assessment