7 A lost generation
Resolution submitted by the RCN Ethics Forum
That this meeting of RCN Congress asks RCN Council to lobby government to end the scandal where children are expected to be the main carer for a dependent parent or sibling
Work led by the RCN Public Policy Committee.
The debate at Congress 2008 focused on the issues arising from the lack of funding, services and resources to adequately support parents and families. This often results in the placing of children and young people in situations where they become responsible for the provision of care to parents, some of which may be intimate. The need for mechanisms to support the early identification of need and intervention was agreed, as was the requirement to lobby at both a local and national level.
The RCN has tabled the issues facing young carers at meetings with chief nursing officers, the secretary of state, and ministers, and highlighted these at all relevant policy discussions, for example the Aiming high for disabled children consultation. In 2008 the Department of Health published its new carers' strategy, Carers at the heart of 21st-century families and communities, which includes provisions to protect children and young people from inappropriate caring responsibilities. The government committed £3.4 million funding to support young carers through extended family pathfinders and whole-family working projects, and additional support is to be put in place for schools to help them provide help to young carers. Meanwhile, the Welsh Assembly has made a commitment to review its carer strategy, and to take into account the Wales young carers report and action list.
In conjunction with the Royal College of General Practitioners RCGP and Princess Royal Trust for Carers, the RCN has been involved in shaping the DH New deal for carers, ensuring particular attention is paid to the special needs of young carers. The RCN has also provided support to the National education programme for supporting carers in general practice.
The first national Young carers' forum for England has now been established, and has provided a platform for young carers to communicate the issues they face and the solutions that will help improve their lives through its Listening to young carers DVD.
In Scotland, a festival for young carers - giving young carers an opportunity to tell decision makers what support will make a difference to their lives - was followed by the Scottish Government's subsequent announcement of a £13 million package for carers. New national guidance on the planning of short breaks to meet the individual needs of carers has been delivered to councils, and an additional £9 million has been earmarked for NHS boards across Scotland to develop career information strategies and roll out initiatives - including training events for NHS staff and carer information strategies - in their local areas.