To ask the Minister of Education what proposals he will bring forward to recognise young carers in the education system.

The Children and Young People’s Strategy provides the strategic framework for all departments (within the remit of their functions) to improve the well-being of children and young people across eight outcomes. I hope to bring the strategy to the Executive for consideration and adoption shortly. Following the adoption of the strategy, a cross-departmental Delivery Plan will be developed which will set out the actions that departments will take to improve children’s well-being and deliver the outcomes in the strategy.

Young carers were identified during consultation on the strategy as a particular group of young people who should be considered an area of greatest focus when departments are determining what actions they intend to take to deliver the strategy. The strategy identifies that children and young people with caring responsibilities may have limited opportunity to have a break from those responsibilities and may also need support to fully undertake their education.

You may also wish to note that the Education Authority (EA), following its participation in the Children and Young Peoples Strategic Partnership group on Young Carers, has developed a guide for schools entitled ‘Supporting Young Carers in School: An Introduction for Primary and Secondary School Staff’, which may be found on the EA website at https://www.eani.org.uk/sites/default/files/2018-10/Supporting-Young-Carers-In-Schools-Booklet-Final.pdf