Young Carers and the School Census
From January 2023, schools are for the first time going to be asked to record on their January census return who their young carers are. They will be asked to record if they are a young carer and whether they were identified by school or the parent. This will enable a much clearer picture of the number of young carers in schools, but also provides opportunities to use this data to monitor attendance and attainment of young carers.
Codes
Schools will be able to use the following codeset (CS118):
| Code | Young carer indicator |
| N | Not declared |
| P | Identified as a young carer by parent or guardian |
| S | Identified as a young carer by school |
For more detailed information on the technical element, visit www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-census-2022-to-2023-technical-information
Help for schools to prepare for the change
The Young Carers Alliance has produced some free resources for schools to help them prepare for the addition of young carers to the school census. The resources cover what schools can do in order to identify as many of their young carers as possible as well as how schools can play their part in ensuring every young carer gets the support they need.
Downloadable resources
- Young Carers and the Schools Census Comms Pack [PDF, 345kB]
- Examples of Young Carer Policies and models of support [PDF, 486kB]
- Young Carers Checklist for schools [PDF, 74kB]
- Young Carers and the Schools Census – Briefing sheet for governors [PDF, 119kB]
Local young carers services can also help schools in their work with young carers. This might be through awareness-raising sessions for staff and pupils, or support for the young carers themselves. If you do not know who your local young carers service is, visit www.childrenssociety.org.uk/information/young-people/young-carers/local-service-finder
Carers Trust and The Children’s Society run a free programme for schools in England called Young Carers in Schools (YCiS). YCiS provides schools with the tools and resources to help them to provide a whole-school approach to identifying and supporting their young carers.
Some young carers organisations have their own local versions which you may be able to participate in:
Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and Norfolk – Carer Friendly Tick Award (provided by Caring Together)
Somerset – Support available to schools through Youth Unlimited – [email protected]
Suffolk – Young Carers Schools Award (provided by Suffolk Family Carers)
Surrey – The Angel Award (provided by Action for Carers Surrey)
Have any questions?
If you have any questions about the addition of young carers to the school census, contact [email protected] and we will add Frequently Asked Questions below. You could also contact your local young carers service who may be able to help.
