Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of provision within the school system for the needs of students who are young carers.

Schools play a very important part in identifying pupils who are young carers and in offering them appropriate support.

During school inspection, Ofsted inspectors consider how schools are meeting the needs of their pupils, including young carers. It is for schools to demonstrate to inspectors that they know all of their pupils, including those with caring responsibilities, and have strategies in place to support these pupils and ensure that they are making expected progress.

This Department has funded the Carers Trust and The Children’s Society, in partnership with Suffolk Family Carers, to work with local authorities to develop models of assessment and support that specifically address the needs of young carers. We have also trained school nurses to be champions for young carers, to speak up on behalf of young carers and help head teachers and governors decide how best to support them at school.