Young Carers: Health and Well-being

Debate between Baroness Pitkeathley and Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford

Monday 13th January 2020 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford]

I thank my noble and learned friend for his question. The Government changed the law to improve how young carers and their families are identified and supported, to simplify the legislation relating to this. In addition, in 2016 we funded the Carers Trust to develop and run the Making a Step Change project for young carers and their families. It was designed to embed best practice to champion and identify support for young carers and their families and to provide an effective and integrated way for voluntary and statutory sector partners to identify young carers. We are working even harder to make sure that GPs and other professionals do the best for young carers. NHS England has recently introduced a new framework of quality markers in when identifying carers for GP practices so that they can improve both their health and their well-being throughout the care pathway.

[Baroness Pitkeathley (Lab)]

My Lords, the noble Baroness will remember from her previous role at the Department for Health and Social Care that, when carers were consulted prior to the Carers Action Plan, 67% of young carers said that they were not receiving any support at all. Does she have any statistics to show that this situation is improving?

[Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford]

We have now delivered all 12 of the commitments and recommendations in the Carers Action Plan to improve the situation for young carers, but the noble Baroness is absolutely right that the way we will improve on that is by improving identification. As I have said, with support from the Carers Trust and the Children’s Society, we are focusing on making sure that we embed not only early identification but also the right support throughout our work with young carers. We know that we have further to go but we are determined to do so.