If a local authority considers that a young carer may have support needs, it must carry out an assessment under section 17ZA of the Children Act 1989 to establish how best they can support the young carer and their family. The local authority must also carry out such an assessment if a young carer, or the parent of a young carer, requests one. Such an assessment must consider whether it is appropriate or excessive for the young carer to provide care for the person in question, (which may be a sibling, parent, or other member of the family), in light of the young carer’s needs and wishes. The Young Carers (Needs Assessment) Regulations 2015 require local authorities to look at the needs of the whole family when carrying out a young carer’s needs assessment. Local authorities must consider whether to combine a young carer’s needs assessment with any other assessment of the needs for support of the young carer, the person cared for, or a member of the young carer’s family.
Information on whether a child has been identified as a young carer will be collected annually through the school census. Schools do not need to obtain parental or pupil consent to provide this information for the purposes of the census but should respect the wishes and feelings of both children and their parents.
