Concerns over unknown number of young carers

Herefordshire councillors have raised concerns over the unknown number of young carers in the county.

Figures from the 2011 census suggest her are around 21,000 unpaid or family cares in the county.

Herefordshire Council says young carers are a particularly vulnerable group and have increased spending over the years to focus on providing support for these carers.

However, council officers say they will never be able to know the true number of unpaid young carers in the county.

Councillor Carole Gandy raised concerns at today’s adults and wellbeing scrutiny committee.

“We may have young people caring for a parent who wants to make sure that nobody actually knows they are having to be cared for,” she said.

“This could be because they are worried the authorities may come in and put all sorts of restrictions on them and possibly look at taking them into care.

“I do feel that, from the point of view of young carers, we’ve probably only got the tip of the iceberg and we don’t really know.

“My concerns are around the number of young people who are acting as carers.

“We probably just do not know and we will probably never know.

“Being a young carer is particularly lonely and for some to lose your childhood and teenage experience must be very difficult.

“Whatever we do to make up for that is very difficult.”

Head of community commissioning and resources Ewen Archibald told today’s adults and wellbeing scrutiny committee that there had been more spending to identify and help young carers.

“Fundamentally, we will never be able to know the exact number of young carers in our communities as in other parts of the country,” he said.

“What I can offer reassurance on is that during the life of the current, soon to expire, strategy there has been an increased investment in services to support young carers.

“A lot of that focuses on identifying them and supporting them.

“We know there is a lot more work and support going on for young carers than ever before.”

The committee has given its backing to a new draft strategy for carers in the county.

The strategy seeks to “improve the life and experience of Herefordshire’s carers by recognising, valuing and equipping them to carry out their caring role, while enabling them to keep well and live their own life”.

It will focus on giving carers more of a say and improving the services which are offered to them.

The strategy also aims to improve carers’ wellbeing and financial independence.