What does 'child carer' mean for universities?

[jasminoide]

Dd is starting the UCAS process for next week. I have two younger dc with ASD and ADHD, who also go to the same school. Both have assistants and get high rate care for DLA.
Not so long ago I saw a thread on here mentioning that a student with a disabled sibling is considered a child carer and to make sure the school flag this up on their reference. I can't find any info on this, is this really the case and should I ask the school to mention this?

*next year

But are they actually a 'child carer'?

I have one child who received DSA at uni, but I don't think the siblings would have received anything.

At my university this means that the prospective student provides unpaid care for a friend or family member due to illness, disability, a mental health problem or addiction. An older sibling of younger disabled students may well qualify for this support.

My experience of this has been students who are providing the main care for parents while studying.

I suppose if your child has missed out on some of things other children do due to their caring role its worth flagging if they are heading to a uni thats not just based on grades. Eg if everyone else has extra curriculars to talk about or has little achievements like being head boy to talk about but your child hasnt because they were caring instead it give the people looking at the references a heads up?

Yes he's a carer (dealing with carers is part of my job) but he can only be a child carer if under 16. He's a regular carer.

In what sense does he provide care for his siblings? Clearly he won't be able to whilst at uni so it's hardly relevant anyway?

Usually a young carer (rather than a child carer) is defined as someone who is committed to providing unpaid care to a family member or friend who could not cope without their support.

There are two reasons why a school may want to mention this. Firstly there are cases where the student's committment to providing necessary care has impacted on their ability to engage with their school work or enrichment activities. Secondly the student may be eligible for bursaries and other support to enable them to continue providing this care while they are at university.

As a former admissions tutor, I cannot stress enough that when mentioning things like this, it is important that the school spells out exactly what the impact has been on the student of having to provide this care. Just writing that the student has disabled siblings is a meaningless waste of words.

Thanks for all of the replies. Just to clarify, being a young (not child as I said) carer is a contextual flag for some university admissions departments. Phphion, thanks for that, that is helpful advice. I wouldn't say my dd is relied on for support from her siblings, but it would be fair to say she has missed out on things as a result of the time that I have to give, if that makes sense? Also our house can be very loud and disruptive which impacts on her ability to study.
Not sure whether to mention it to careers teacher or not now?

WP officer here! A young adult carer, which is what I think you’re referring to here, is someone aged 16-25 who provides unpaid care to a family member, friend or partner, who could not cope without their support.

From what you’ve said, it doesn’t sound like this is the case for your daughter.

However, if you think she might do less well in her exams than a student in a different situation, it could be worth discussing with the relevant member of staff at school whether this should be included on her reference. For example, if your home situation means her revision is impacted.

Actually Sometimes I just remembered that the reason the other two went to the same school as dd is so that she could supervise them at break and lunchtimes. This is mentioned in their Statements. I will drop an email to the careers teacher with this and the other points and it might help dd a bit. Is this something dd might be asked about in her interview? She would be absolutely mortified I think.
Thank you all for the responses.

She supervised them, despite them having assistants (1 to 1's, presumably)?

@jasminoide

Actually Sometimes I just remembered that the reason the other two went to the same school as dd is so that she could supervise them at break and lunchtimes. This is mentioned in their Statements. I will drop an email to the careers teacher with this and the other points and it might help dd a bit. Is this something dd might be asked about in her interview? She would be absolutely mortified I think. Thank you all for the responses.

What is it you’re looking for it to ‘help’ your DD with?

There’s two ways in which it might help.

The first would be she received a Young Adult Carer flag on her application, which might qualify her for a contextual offer or additional consideration if she missed her offer. If this is the case, then she needs to be fully on board and willing to talk about it if asked. But not every university makes contextual offers, not every university that does ‘counts’ young adult carer for them and some will have a requirement to prove the carer status.

The second way would be accessing support at university, via support groups, mentoring, an easier process to extenuating circumstances or bursaries (which are generally provided in recognition of the fact students with caring responsibilities aren’t able to work as well as study, or work as much).

So I think you need to think about what you’re hoping to gain by having your daughter considered a young adult carer, and whether she would want that flag. Does she access barnardos support or anything like that?

When universities are applying contextual flags that actually mean something, for example for contextual offers or financial support, they usually require evidence of the student's caring duties, and the impact undertaking these duties has had on them, from an authorative and independent source such as social services or a GP. They can withhold the flag, and a decision on the student's application, until they receive this evidence.

Keep in mind that the school has a limited number of words for their reference and should aim to demonstrate the student's academic ability and suitability for the courses they are applying for. It should focus, without lying or significant omission, on the positives.

Contextual information should be provided where it gives an explanation for the student's academic performance or demonstrates that they have overcome significant adversity in their achievements. This should be presented factually, with clear evidence. It should not be presented as an excuse, but as an explanation. Excuses come across as negative, they draw focus to what the student has not done, not the great things that they have done.

You, your DD, and the school will need to consider whether the things that might be mentioned in relation to her siblings are actually the most significant, relevant, interesting or positive things that can be said about her. Do they tell a university that if she is given an opportunity she will make the very best of it, that she will be a great student? If not, use the words to say something better.

Greyhound yes they have 1-2-1 assistants, but only during class time. At break and lunch time they go to a designated room with dd1.

Sometimes dd is applying for a very competitive course, so I'm hoping that this might give her some sort of extra consideration, if indeed she is a young carer.

Phphion that is very helpful, thank you.

So effectively she never gets a break at school? She is either in a lesson or supervising two children whose needs are so great that they normally have an adult supervising each one of them?

That does feel like quite a big deal and something that would make her life very different to that of her peers.

mum you know I'm only thinking about how crap this is for dd1 now, it has always been this way since Y9 and dd2 started with her. Dd2 had school refused for 3 years prior to this and as I said dd1s school was named on dd2s statement so that dd1 would be of emotional support during the initial settling in period, and it has always remained that way. I havent really thought much of it until now and feel very guilty. Dd2 started self harming after lockdown 1 so is not allowed to be left alone in school (or home), I should have fought for out of class supervision 😢

@jasminoide

Greyhound yes they have 1-2-1 assistants, but only during class time. At break and lunch time they go to a designated room with dd1.

Sometimes dd is applying for a very competitive course, so I'm hoping that this might give her some sort of extra consideration, if indeed she is a young carer.

You need to research the universities contextual offer programme to see if they include YACs in it.

Otherwise, chat with teachers to see if they can mention it but it does need to be relevant. So if she’s applying for healthcare it obviously is. Or if it’s impacting her grades potentially it should be in the teacher reference.

But if it’s not going to impact her grades, and it’s a competitive course it might be that there are most important things that need to go in the reference, and teachers are limited on characters as a PP have mentioned.

@jasminoide

mum you know I'm only thinking about how crap this is for dd1 now, it has always been this way since Y9 and dd2 started with her. Dd2 had school refused for 3 years prior to this and as I said dd1s school was named on dd2s statement so that dd1 would be of emotional support during the initial settling in period, and it has always remained that way. I havent really thought much of it until now and feel very guilty. Dd2 started self harming after lockdown 1 so is not allowed to be left alone in school (or home), I should have fought for out of class supervision 😢

The school should not have been doing this. Don't blame yourself, because I think they are far more culpable. They have been using it as a cheap option, and taking advantage of your daughter. It might be a sensible thing for the first couple of weeks while dd2 settled in, but no way should they have adopted this as a long term measure. School should be an opportunity for young carers to have a break from that responsibility and enjoy being with their friends. If the school has ever for one second thought "what can we do to support young carers" they would know that this should be changed.

As for the UCAS reference, plenty of UCAS references would mention responsibilities in school far less time-consuming than supervising vulnerable pupils every break and lunchtime. That it is her siblings may well mean that a university with a "young carers" box can tick it.

Please don't beat yourself up. DD1 must be an amazing young lady for doing this for her siblings. She has been a carer so you're not wrong to highlight this. Do make sure that DD2 has adult support at lunch going forward. Good luck

Actually Sometimes I just remembered that the reason the other two went to the same school as dd is so that she could supervise them at break and lunchtimes.

That is appalling of the school. Your dd needs a break at school where she can be with her friends.

Thank you all for the replies. I've got a meeting with the SENCO to discuss what provision will be made from September onwards. I've been blind to the fact that it really is just a money saving exercise, and dd1 really should not be landed with this. Is it the school that ticks the young carer box or will it be dd on her part of the form?

It’s something she will disclose on her form through the tick box - I think this is the first year it’s available as a tick box.

Again, just ticking the box won’t necessarily achieve anything, as she researches Universities she should be looking at how young adult Carers fit into their contextual offer.

I always wonder about this definition. My DP is disabled and I was never sure if my dc could be classed as young carers. I think any child with a disabled parent or sibling has quite a different life to their peers.
Good luck to you Dd.