Adult Social Care Glossary, v 0.6

6.68 The local authority must ... identify any children who are involved in providing care. The authority may become aware that the child is carrying out a caring role through the assessment of the person needing care or their carer, or informed through family members or a school. Identification of a young carer in the family should result in an offer of a needs assessment for the adult requiring care and support and, where appropriate, the local authority must consider whether the child or young carer should be referred for a young carer’s assessment or a needs assessment under the Children Act 1989, or a young carer’s assessment under section 63 of the Care Act. Local authorities should ensure that adults’ and children’s care and support services work together to ensure the assessment is effective – for example by sharing expertise and linking processes.

6.69 When carrying out an adult’s or carer’s assessment, if it appears that a child is involved in providing care the local authority must consider:

- the impact of the person’s needs on the young carer’s wellbeing, welfare, education and development
- whether any of the caring responsibilities the young carer is undertaking are inappropriate

6.70 An assessment should take into account the parenting responsibilities of the person as well as the impact of the adult’s needs for care and support on the young carer.

6.71 Local authorities must also consider whether any of the caring tasks the child is undertaking are inappropriate. They should consider how supporting the adult with needs for care and support can prevent the young carer from undertaking excessive or inappropriate care and support responsibilities. A young carer becomes vulnerable when their caring role risks impacting upon their emotional or physical wellbeing or their prospects in education and life. This might include:

- preventing the young carer from accessing education, for example because the adult’s needs for care and support result in the young carer’s regular absence from school or impacts upon their learning
- preventing the young carer from building relationships and friendships
impacting upon any other aspect of the young carer’s wellbeing

6.72 Inappropriate caring responsibilities should be considered as anything which is likely to have an impact on the child’s health, wellbeing or education, or which can be considered unsuitable in light of the child’s circumstances and may include:

- personal care such as bathing and toileting
- carrying out strenuous physical tasks such as lifting
- administering medication
- maintaining the family budget
- emotional support to the adult

6.73 When a local authority is determining whether the tasks a child carries out are inappropriate, it should also take into account the child’s own view wherever appropriate.