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Written Question
Carers: Young People
Tuesday 4th November 2014

Asked by: Simon Wright (Liberal Democrat - Norwich South)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support young carers in school.

Answered by Edward Timpson

Recent research shows that young carers have significantly lower educational attainment at GCSE level than their peers, equivalent to nine grades lower overall. That’s the difference between nine Bs and nine Cs.

That shows why it is so important that schools are able to identify and support pupils who are young carers. However a legislative approach compelling them to do so is not in keeping with our drive to reduce burdens on schools. It is important that headteachers and governors have the freedoms they need to meet their responsibilities for the welfare of their pupils in the way they consider is most appropriate.

I am very grateful for the support of the National Governors’ Association in raising awareness about the needs of young carers and sharing resources with governing bodies. Whilst there is a lot of good practice in schools, there remains much to do to make this more widely available.

That is why I welcome two exciting new developments led by the voluntary sector. The Big Lottery Fund are financing The Children’s Society’s “Young Carers in Focus” programme to launch a national award scheme that allows schools to be recognised for the quality of support for their young carers. The Queen’s Trust too are funding Carers Trust to develop and test best practice on young carer support in schools. Both of these initiatives will build on the work my Department has been doing with The Children’s Society and Carers Trust since 2011 to share existing tools and good practice. This includes development of an e-learning module for school staff to increase awareness in schools of young carers’ needs. We are planning to update this soon to reflect the new legislation but the current version is available on The Children’s Society’s website: http://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/sites/default/files/Young-Carers-Web-Pub-v13/player.html

The Department of Health are also training school nurses to be champions for young carers. They will speak up on their behalf and help headteachers and governors decide how best to support them at school.

At present we do not plan to extend the pupil premium eligibility criteria to cover young carers (or any other group). Our policy is to allocate pupil premium funding to those pupils who have experienced financial disadvantage but there is a significant cross-over between young carers and the current pupil premium target population. Research indicates that as many as 60 per cent of young carers could be eligible for free school meals, so already attract the pupil premium.

We will continue to encourage schools to use the resources that are already freely available to them and to make links to their local young carers support group.

Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 27 Oct 2014
Oral Answers to Questions

"The pupil premium is making a massive difference to many young people who risk falling behind. Young carers’ GCSE performance is, on average, the equivalent of nine grades lower than that of their peers, but many do not receive the pupil premium. Will the Minister consider the case put by …..."
Simon Wright - View Speech

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Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 16 Oct 2014
Oral Answers to Questions

"T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities...."
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 16 Oct 2014
Oral Answers to Questions

"I particularly welcome that last point. If the research commissioned by the Responsible Gambling Trust into fixed-odds betting terminals is inconclusive or fails to provide coherent conclusions about the impact of the £100 maximum stake, will the Minister proceed on a precautionary basis and cut the maximum stake to £2 …..."
Simon Wright - View Speech

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Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 04 Sep 2014
Achievement Gap in Reading

"I thank the Backbench Business Committee for allowing this debate and congratulate my right hon. Friend the Member for Mid Dorset and North Poole (Annette Brooke) on securing it.

We must do everything we can for those who are struggling to read to ensure that every child has a chance …..."
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 04 Sep 2014
Achievement Gap in Reading

"Phonics provides an important way in which teachers can go about teaching, but it is only one part of the strategy. Ultimately, it is developing and fostering a love of reading that will help children to continue to enjoy life as a reader.

Those interventions must start earlier than at …..."
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 22 Jul 2014
Birmingham Schools

"Will the Secretary of State consider the merits of a minimum curriculum entitlement for all state-funded schools, so that communities, parents and governors are in no doubt about what is meant by a “broad and balanced curriculum”, which every child should be entitled to?..."
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 21 Jul 2014
Oral Answers to Questions

"Schools across Norfolk will every day serve an extra 21,000 free school meals to infant-aged children from September. Will the Minister join me in thanking head teachers and schools in my constituency that have worked hard to ensure that these meals are delivered, and will he update the House on …..."
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 09 Jul 2014
Technical and Vocational Education

"Everyone deserves the opportunity to get on in life and reach their full potential. A strong system of vocational education equips young people with the skills they need to succeed and is a crucial aspect of building a stronger economy and a fairer society. The renewed focus on apprenticeships over …..."
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 09 Jul 2014
Technical and Vocational Education

"I agree 100%. At the moment, too few schools value vocational qualifications or the needs of the 60% who do not go to university, and we do not start learning about careers in school at a young enough age. At the same time, there is a perception gap among industry, …..."
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