For some time there has been concern about the mental and physical health effects of being a young carer. Research has shown these young people are more likely to come from lower income households and to have less well-qualified parents in poorer paid jobs. Those providing more than 20 hours’ care per week suffer greater psychological distress, and the effects can last several years for some groups. Now a major post-Covid study by Alejandra Letelier and colleagues at UCL and the Carers Trust reveals the pandemic has forced more young people into caring roles, underscoring an urgent need for targeted policies to identify and support young carers – particularly those already facing other forms of disadvantage.
The plight of young carers has risen up the policy agenda in recent years, supported by analyses of data from major longitudinal studies. But what impact did COVID-19 have on their numbers and characteristics, and what are the implications for policymakers concerned about this vulnerable group? Our latest study aims to address this gap.
Covid effects
The long-term effects of the pandemic are not yet completely known but we do know it had a significant impact on physical and mental health, and we know it hit those in deprived areas, migrant populations and ethnic minorities hard.
We used three major longitudinal surveys to review the numbers of young carers aged 16-18 before and after Covid, and to explore how their characteristics might have changed during the period.
We looked at young people’s carer status, the amount of care they provided and their relationship to their care recipients, and we also asked about their parents’ occupational status and education as well as levels of deprivation where they lived.
An increase in young carers
The 2021 Census suggested there were at least 120,000 young carers in England aged between 5 and 17 years – and we knew this was likely to be a substantial underestimate. Some studies suggest as many as eight per cent of young people provide intimate care for loved ones.
Our study found the proportion of young carers had risen from approximately eight per cent pre-pandemic to between 10 and 12 per cent afterwards. This indicated a shift in young carer prevalence, possibly influenced by societal changes associated with the pandemic.
In line with earlier studies, we found they were more likely to be in single-parent households and within more disadvantaged socioeconomic groups. There were more of them in homes where parents were unemployed, less educated, or lived in areas of higher deprivation.
We also found that while most provided low-intensity care – between one and nine hours per week – there had been an increase in the proportion who provided more than 10 hours per week, particularly among female carers.
Additionally, we found the numbers of young carers with working parents were higher than before, although there was still a significant association between lower parental education and young carers.
The primary recipients of care were parents, followed by grandparents and siblings, and this had not changed since COVID-19. Females more commonly provided care for their parents than males, while males more often took care of siblings and other non-relatives.
We believe wider socio-demographic changes, such as smaller family sizes, increased life expectancy and growing awareness of young carers may have contributed to the rise we saw. Additionally, a reduction in social services over the last decade is likely to have influenced who provides care and the numbers of young people involved.
With fewer resources available for formal support, it is likely more of them have had to step in to provide care, particularly in disadvantaged households.
Policy implications
Our findings have serious implications for policymakers. Given the potential impacts of caring on young peoples’ lives it is imperative that support is increased, particularly for those facing multiple disadvantages. Alongside this, services supporting adult health and social care must play a key role in identifying young carers.
The research has also enhanced our understanding of how crises such as COVID-19 can exacerbate existing vulnerabilities among young carers. It underscores the necessity for responsive and adaptive support systems and post-pandemic recovery strategies. It is crucial to involve different services and agencies working with young people and those individuals with long-term conditions, to collaborate effectively in identifying and supporting young carers.
These policy measures should focus particularly on deprived areas, where both the incidence of young caring and its risks are higher. It is likely more crises will occur, and it is vital to support and monitor vulnerable populations during and after such events.
Our insights underscore the urgent need for targeted policies that not only identify and support young carers but also address the underlying socioeconomic and gender inequalities that shape their experiences. As the landscape of young caring evolves in response to global health crises like COVID-19, it becomes imperative for policymakers and support systems to adapt and provide robust assistance to this vulnerable group.
- Understanding young caring in the UK pre- and post-COVID-19: Prevalence, correlates, and insights from three UK longitudinal surveys, is research by Alejandra Letelier, Anne McMunn, Andy McGowan, Beth Neale and Rebecca Lacey and is published in Children and Youth Services Review.