The term ‘young carers’ refers to children and young people under the age of 18 whose lives are affected in some significant way by the care needs of another family or household member, and who provide care, or help to provide care, to that person.

Traditionally, the focus of carer-orientated policy has been on adult carers. However, in the last 15 years there has been growing awareness of and interest in young carers. Research on this topic has greatly expanded and policy-makers and service providers are increasingly acknowledging the need for a specific policy response to address the needs of young carers and to provide support to them.

The health problems of those with care needs, being cared for by young carers, included:
• behavioural or learning difficulty;
• combined intellectual and physical disability;
• physical illness;
• mental illness;
• drug or alcohol addiction;
• sensory impairment