A staggering 166,363 children in England are caring for their parents, siblings and family members. This is up by a fifth from when the last Census was conducted in 2001.Nearly 15,000 children up to the age of 17 are providing more than 50 hours of care every week.
The Children’s Society’s own analysis also reveals that young carers are one and a half times more likely to have a long-standing illness or disability or special educational need than their peers.
Young carers are lagging behind in school and missing out on their childhoods because of the demands placed on them, according to Hidden from View - released today by The Children’s Society to coincide with census statistics.
Hidden from View analyses government data tracking 15,000 children across England. It reveals the significant long-term impact that caring has on a child’s life, confirming The Children’s Society’s experience of working with young carers and their families throughout England.
Hidden from View findings include:
You can read the full press release here: http://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/news-views/press-release/report-reveals-impact-young-carers
