Young carers are being failed, charity boss says

Be Free Young Carers chief executive Sabiene North said there was "nothing else in the county to support young carers"

The head of a charity that supports young carers has said vulnerable children are being failed by the system designed to help them.

The chief executive of Be Free Young Carers, which helps more than 600 children in Oxfordshire, said a lack of permanent funding and joined-up working was putting its work at risk.

Sabiene North, who also sits on Oxfordshire Safeguarding Children Partnership, estimates 90% of the victims of Oxford's historic grooming gangs were young carers.

The county council's children's services were given a grading of good in its latest Ofsted report, which noted "all young carers receive good support".

Operation Bullfinch was a two-year investigation that ended with the jailing of seven men in 2013 for abusing six girls in Oxford, between 2004 and 2012.

However, a serious case review found as many as 373 children may have been targeted in Oxfordshire over 16 years

"The sexual exploitation gangs that happened in our city, 300 victims, 90% of them were young carers," Ms North said.

"Part of the findings were that we would support young carers and it isn't happening. There's us and there's nothing else."

'No safety net'

Her charity receives no statutory support from the county council and is instead funded through donations, grants and trusts.

It helps about 650 children in Oxfordshire, but Ms North estimates there are at least 12,000 children with caring responsibilities in the county.

She said: "We're a small charity and if we weren't here, what would there be?

"There is no safety net. If we disappear overnight, there is nothing else in the county to support young carers."

The latest figures for Oxfordshire show children with a caring responsibility are facing a "triple threat", with young carers being more likely to be on the special educational needs (SEN) register, as well as coming from lower income households.

Taken together, this compounds the negative impact that caring responsibilities can have on a child's education, with 29% of young carers not meeting expected levels in reading, writing and maths at Key Stage 2, compared with 22% for non-carers.

Attainment levels continue to be affected by the end of year 11, with 51% of young carers failing to obtain 5 Good GCSEs, compared to 36% of non-young carers.

The county council's children's services were found to be good in its latest Ofsted report

"Their attainment levels at school are lower than any other category of child," Ms North said.

"We talk a lot about SEN in the country and in the county, but it's young carers that are below that and aren't recognised."

Ms North added: "We all need to work together, whether it's schools or the county council. Everyone needs to work together to get the best outcome for young carers."

A spokesperson for the council said they were "committed to the safeguarding and wellbeing of children as part of the Oxfordshire Safeguarding Partnership".

"This multi-agency hub, created after Bullfinch, assesses safeguarding contacts and child needs, including risks.

"We are in discussions with Be Free Young Carers about the needs of young carers across the county and any possible future funding for particular projects; however, while negotiations continue, details must remain private and confidential."