Agenda item

The Committee received a presentation providing an overview of the services available for young carers and young adult carers across Carmarthenshire, which included the following:-

-  a young carer is someone under 18 whose life is restricted because of the

   need to take responsibility for a family member due to sickness, disability,

   mental health or alcohol and drug problems;

-  a young adult carer is someone who is between 16 and 25;

-  there are 11,500 young carers in Wales;

-  the average age of a young carer is 12 years old;

-  64% of young carers have been caring for 3 or more years and 1:5 miss

   school because of their caring responsibilities;

-  1 in 3 young carers spend between 11 and 20 hours per week caring;

-  1 in 12 secondary aged pupils are young carers;

-  there are many issues which may affect young carers including loneliness,

   depression; lack of sleep, educational difficulties, social isolation, trust

   issues, bullying and suicidal thoughts.

Carmarthenshire Young Carers Service currently supports approximately 40 young carers up to the age of 18.  This support includes holiday activities, referral onto appropriate agencies, a break from caring, focussed support, advocacy and peer support. 

The following questions/observations were raised on the presentation:-

·       Asked how the service in promoted in colleges, the Committee was advised that it is mainly the Young Adult Carer Service which is involved with colleges where they do drop-in sessions twice a week.  The service has excellent links with the mentors in the colleges in the county;

·       Asked how the service supports home educated children, the Committee was advised that, as an Authority, we have an Elective Home Education policy and those children who are home educated and have been identified as being carers and may be vulnerable are monitored and supported by the service.  Any children who have enrolled in a school but then opt out must inform the Local Authority, however, if a child has never enrolled in a school there is no requirement to register and it is more difficult to identify these children.  In the past, forms used by the service in relation to parental mental health have only asked if there are any children in the home.  These forms are being amended to ask if the children are in full time education which will assist in this regard;

·       Reference was made to the importance of identifying young carers and offices were asked if they attend school assemblies and ask those who care for a family members to raise their hands.  The Committee was advised that this is no longer done as many young carers do not want people to know.  Other initiatives are used instead such as competitions to identify which celebrities were young carers.  This involves the young person including their name on the form which includes a tick box asking if they are a young carer and if they need help;

·       Asked what elected members can do to support the service, the Committee was informed that officers are working hard to highlight the Investors in Carers scheme.  GP surgeries are well placed to identify young carers and for them to achieve the Investors in Carers silver award they need to provide more information.  If elected members could help to spread the word it would be greatly appreciated;

·       Reference was made to the fact that a mental health service for children and a school counselling service is needed and concern was expressed that there is a lack of capacity in the service to meet the need;

·       Whilst acknowledging the importance of children staying with their family, officers were asked at what point is the decision made to remove them. 

·       With regard to children who are home educated, officers were asked what procedures there are in place to ensure that parents have the resources and ability to do that.  The Committee was advised that officers have concerns in that regard as the criteria set by the Welsh Government are currently vague so it is difficult to assess or challenge their standards of ability to educate their child.  Firmer Welsh Government guidance is anticipated;

·       Great concern was expressed over suicide rates amongst young people and the importance of improving the way that schools deal with children with mental health issues was stressed.  The Committee was informed that there is a lot of research and media coverage highlighting what is being called a crisis among young people.  There has been a tremendous shift in the understanding of the issues involved over recent years.  The important thing is to realise that there must be a collaborative approach.  The wellbeing of children is a priority;

·       Reference was made to the fact that in some cultures children just see it as their duty to look after family and officers were asked what is being done with ethnic minorities in this regard.  The Committee was advised that a Task and Finish Group is being set up to look at how we engage more with ethnic minority groups and how we develop the service in this regard.  There is a growing multicultural society in Carmarthenshire and we need to look at how we promote our services to that society;

·       With regard to home educated children, officers were asked if the Authority does enough to engage with these families as the children may be receiving an adequate education, however, they are missing out on interaction with other children.  The Committee was advised that from a Local Authority point of view it is quite a challenge because there is no funding available to help home educated children.  A fundamental change is needed in order to allow for support to be provided.  There are a number of challenges which officers are in discussion about.  

RESOLVED that the information be noted.