What matters most to young carers in North Tyneside 2024

Healthwatch North Tyneside is a member of North Tyneside’s Carers Partnership Board (CPB) and, on behalf of the CBP, carries out an annual survey of carers. One year focuses on adult carer and next focusing on young carers.

This survey of young carers was conducted in April and May 2024, asking similar questions to the 2022 survey so that data could be compared. 83 people completed the 2024 survey. The report makes nine recommendations.

1. CPB partners involve young carers in a review of the delivery of the young carers needs assessment process to build on best practice, ensure needs assessments are reviewed regularly, ensure that young carer, family and support agencies are involved and informed about the review as appropriate.
2. Review support for young carers across all schools and colleges in North Tyneside and mainstream the best practice: including awareness of each member of staff, flags so that all staff are aware when a student is a young carer, providing appropriate adjustments and accommodations for young carers, access to mental health support and careers support. This could include extensions to deadlines, access to phones so they can keep in touch with their family etc.
3. CPB partners identify ways to increase opportunities for peer support, breaks and activities for young carers, including greater focus on bringing together young carers of similar ages and/or interests.
4. CPB partners remind professionals about the importance of identifying young carers, identifying training/development needs or tools to support this.
5. CPB partners encourage better understanding amongst professionals and families of caring responsibilities within a family, particularly the impact on children and siblings.
6. Improve information for young carers about their rights and the support available, including the Ease Card.
7. Review the need for increased support with challenging behaviours for the whole family.
8. Work with young carers and system partners to review how young carers who are not connected to support can receive help.
9. Develop a check in process for people who may not have been actively worked with for a while.