Over two thirds of young carers have had to cope with bullying at school, according to new research carried out by The Princess Royal Trust for Carers and The Children’s Society.

More than half of the young carers surveyed felt unsupported or misunderstood by their teachers. Even more worryingly, 39% said that none of the teachers at their school were even aware of their caring role.

The Princess Royal Trust for Carers and The Children’s Society are today launching a new information pack ‘Supporting Young Carers: a resource for schools’ alongside a poster campaign to run in all secondary schools across the UK, to help address some of these issues.

“It is shocking to discover that so many young carers have to endure bullying, mental health problems and a lack of support from their teachers, all because they care for a family member who is unable to cope without their help.” says Carole Cochrane, Chief Executive at The Trust.

“Sadly, without the right support, many young carers will underachieve or drop out of school altogether, which has a long and enduring impact on their future prospects.

“The aim of this resource is to empower schools to start identifying and supporting young carers. We know that when school staff are involved in supporting young carers it can make a huge difference to their lives.”

The survey of 700 6-18 year-olds also revealed that:

• 60% do not think their teachers understand what life is like for them
• Over 50% do not feel supported, although teachers are aware of their caring role
• 38% worry about the person they care for while they are at school

A resounding 70% of the young people surveyed agreed with the statement that “being a young carer has made my life more difficult”.

Further information

Find out more about the information pack: Young Carers: a resource for schools