Adult Social Care Glossary, v 0.6

(6) “Young carer” means a person under 18 who provides or intends to provide care for an adult (but see subsection (7)).

(7) A person is not a young carer for the purposes of this section if the person provides or intends to provide care—
(a) under or by virtue of a contract, or
(b) as voluntary work.

(8) But in a case where the local authority considers that the relationship between the adult and the person under 18 providing or intending to provide care is such that it would be appropriate for the person under 18 to be regarded as a young carer, that person is to be regarded as such (and subsection (7) is therefore to be ignored in that case).

(9) The references to providing care include a reference to providing practical or emotional support.