Specialist young carer services are provided by local authorities and are responsible for carrying out young carer assessments of needs. Calderdale and Wakefield provide this service “in house” whilst other councils commission their young carers service from other organisations; Bradford, Leeds and Kirklees do this. Please contact your local service to find out the full of range of services they offer young carers.
Young carers - assessment of needs
Local Authorities are responsible for fulfilling the legislative requirements for young carers from the Care Act 2014 and the Children and Families Act 2014.
Care Act 2014: If a Young Carer is identified within a family, there should be an assessment of the health and care needs of the person the young carer is caring for
Children and Families Act 2014: If a child or young person is identified or suspected of being a young carer and they are under 18 they are entitled to a Young Carers assessment of needs.
The legislation promotes a whole family approach and that the young carers needs are assessed and met in the context of the whole family.