Young carers are children who look after someone in their family who has an illness, a disability, a mental health problem or a substance misuse problem. Young carers take on practical and/or emotional caring responsibilities that would normally be expected of an adult.

The caring can involve lots of physical care such as personal care for a parent, giving medication, helping someone get up, get dressed or to get around. Or it could mean providing emotional support for someone who has a mental health problem or substance addiction. In addition, many young carers are also responsible for looking after younger brothers and sisters and all or most of the household chores.

Young carers are at risk of social isolation and bullying, under-achievement, absenteeism from school, and physical and mental ill health.

All professionals:

• The Practice guidance to the Carers (Equal Opportunities) Act 2004 states that Local Authorities should have "a protocol, shared between adults and children’s services, for identifying and assessing young carers". Download the protocol document here.

• Delivering Every Child Matters for young carers, is a document which sets out the barriers for young carers in achieving the ECM outcomes and how support for young carers can help local authorities evidence that they have met Joint Area Review inspection targets.

Visit our new Professionals website, which provides information and access to knowledge sourced from our nationwide network of Carers Centres to help you provide the best quality of support to the carers that you work with.