Barnardo's urges amendment to Health & Care Bill

The Barnardo’s charity has warned that the government’s Health and Care Bill may mean more sick and disabled adults are discharged from hospital into the sole care of children.

The UK’s largest children’s charity is urging Parliament to amend the Health and Care Bill, fearing that changes in the legislation could lead to vulnerable child carers slipping through the net.  

Research carried out by the University of Nottingham with the BBC in 2018 estimated there are more than 800,000 young carers in the UK and recent figures show that 180,000 children in England who care for an ill or disabled relative were missing out on support because they were unknown to their local authority.

Currently, the NHS must consult the patient's carer when discharging a patient. The Health and Care Bill removes this vital safeguard for all carers including young carers.

Barnardo’s is calling on Peers in the House of Lords to support a cross-party amendment which would introduce a requirement on NHS bodies to inform the local authority where any new or existing young carer lives to ensure they are given the right support.

Barnardo’s Lynn Perry said: “Adults with extremely complex health and care needs are already being discharged from hospital into the care of children. This is only set to get worse if the changes in the Health and Social Bill come into effect. Caring for loved ones is something that many young carers are incredibly proud to do but children must never be expected to shoulder the burden of care for their family members on their own.

"As a society we must protect children from taking on too much responsibility at a young age, and from sacrificing their education, or physical and mental health. Parliament must recognise the needs of children in the Health and Care Bill and ensure young carers can be identified by healthcare professionals and supported by local authorities.”  

Anntoinette Bramble, chair of the Local Government Association’s Children and Young People Board, said:“Young carers do an amazing job but it is vital that they are not asked to provide a level of support that is detrimental to their well-being or is beyond their capability.

“If an adult is to be discharged from hospital into the care of a young person, it is important for everyone involved that an assessment takes place to ensure this is appropriate, and to check whether more formal support would be more suitable. Both adult and children’s social care services are under significant pressure. If we are to make sure that young carers get the support they need and do not have to take on excessive responsibilities, councils must receive the funding they need to provide these vital services.”