Young Carers in the UK: The 2004 Report
- Författare
- Dearden C, Becker S.
- Titel
- Young Carers in the UK: The 2004 Report
- Utgivningsår
- 2004
- Stad
- London
- Utgivare
- Carers UK
- Sammanfattning
This is the report of the third national survey of young carers who are being
supported by specialist young carers projects across the UK. Throughout the
report, where appropriate and for comparison, we refer to the two previous
surveys conducted in 1995 and 1997 (Dearden and Becker, 1995, 1998).
The 2004 Report is based on data collected from 87 projects concerning a total of 6,178 young carers – the largest
survey of its kind.
n 56% of the sample are girls, 44% are boys. The average
age is 12.
n 84% of the sample is white; the largest minority group
being African Caribbean.
n 56% of young carers are living in lone parent families.
n People with care needs have a range of illnesses or
physical or mental health problems. Half of all
conditions are of a physical health nature; 29% are
mental health problems; 17% are learning difficulties
and 3% are sensory impairments.
n The majority of people with care needs are mothers;
this is especially true in lone parent families where
mothers account for 70% of people needing care. In
two parent families almost half (46%) of people
receiving care are siblings.
n Just under two-thirds (63%) of siblings with care needs
have learning difficulties.
n Only 4% of adults with care needs are in employment
(where data available).
n Where there is at least one adult in the home (in
addition to any adult with care needs) only slightly
more than half of these other adults are also in
employment (where data available).
n Two thirds of the young carers provide domestic help in
the home; 48% provide general and nursing-type care;
82% provide emotional support and supervision; 18%
provide intimate personal care and 11% also provide
child care. The recognised incidence of emotional
support has increased dramatically since 1997.
n Intimate care is most commonly provided where the
person with care needs has a physical health problem
or disability. Emotional support is far more common
where the person has mental health problems.
n One in ten young carers is caring for more than
one person.
n Overall, girls are more involved in all types of caring
tasks, especially as they get older.
n Half the young carers are caring for 10 hours or less
per week; one third for 11-20 hours per week; and 16%
for over 20 hours per week. Some (2%) are caring for
more than 50 hours each week.
n The overall incidence of missed school and educational
difficulties has reduced, decreasing between 1995 and
1997 and again between 1997 and 2003. However,
27% of all young carers of secondary school-age are
experiencing some problems, and the equivalent
proportion of young carers of primary school age is
13%. Four in ten children caring for someone who
misuses drugs or alcohol have educational difficulties.
n 18% of young carers have been assessed, an
improvement on 1997. Young carers from minority
ethnic backgrounds are more likely to have been
assessed, especially under the 1989 Children Act.
Those caring for someone with drug/alcohol problems
are more likely to receive an assessment under the
Children Act (28%).
n Caring can be a very long-term commitment for many
children, and can start at an early age. One third (36%)
of young carers had been caring for 2 years or less;
44% for 3-5 years; 18% for 6-10 years and 3% for over
10 years.
n One fifth of young carers and their families receive no
other support except for their contact with a specialist
young carers project. Social Services support is the
most common external service received.