Carers: Young People

(asked on 19th December 2024) - View Source

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to improve access to higher education and employment opportunities for young carers.


Answered by
Baroness Smith of Malvern Portrait
Baroness Smith of Malvern
Minister of State (Education)
This question was answered on 7th January 2025

Opportunity should be available to all but too many people across our country do not get the chance to succeed. The department will act to address the persistent gaps for different groups, including young carers, and break down the barriers to opportunity.

The department is committed to ensuring that all young people have equitable access to work experience opportunities, including young carers. The Youth Guarantee will ensure that every young person aged 18 to 21 who needs it is supported in accessing further learning or receives help to get a job or an apprenticeship.

The department’s ambition is to offer a guarantee of two weeks’ worth of high quality work experience to all young people over the course of their secondary education, irrespective of their background. This will open doors to a wider range of employers and businesses, giving young people greater insight into the labour market, while developing relevant skills for work. It will also help young people make informed decisions about their next steps and support their future employment prospects.

The department’s delivery partner, The Careers and Enterprise Company, is piloting the delivery of the work experience guarantee. This includes testing a ringfenced disadvantage premium to assist schools with the costs of work experience, such as transportation, and the development of a virtual work experience platform to improve the accessibility of opportunities. Piloting work began in October 2024, with end of pilot reporting in August 2025.

Higher education (HE) plays an important role in ensuring that individuals gain the skills they need to succeed in life and the department will support the aspiration of every person who meets the requirements and wants to pursue this, regardless of their background.

All HE providers registered with the Office for Students (OfS) that intend to charge higher level tuition fees are required to have an access and participation plan approved by the OfS. These plans articulate how providers will improve equality of opportunity for underrepresented groups. In creating their plans, providers should consider the Equality of Opportunity Risk Register, which details 12 key sector risks across the student lifecycle and the student groups most likely to experience these, including young carers.

Whilst many HE providers have demonstrated positive examples of supporting young carers, including targeted outreach and on course bursaries and mentoring, the department is keen to see the sector go further. By summer, the department will set out its plan for HE reform, and we expect providers to play an even stronger role in improving access and outcomes for all disadvantaged students, including young carers.

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