Carers

What is a young carer?

A young carer is someone under 18 who looks after a relative who has:

• an illness
• a disability
• a mental health condition
• a drug or alcohol problem

Young carers may do practical jobs or give emotional support that would normally be done by an adult.

The help they give depends on the needs of their family and the family’s situation.

Young carers have the right to a needs assessment under the Children and Families Act 2014.

They can get an assessment no matter how much care they give.

Young carers and the Law

Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities must think about the needs of children when they assess an adult who needs care.

This is part of a whole family assessment.

If there is a child in the home, workers must check whether that child is taking on any caring responsibilities.

Young carers aged 16 to 18 also have the right to a Transition Assessment.

This helps plan support as they move into adulthood and their caring role may change.

Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018 says that services must work together to support families with young carers.

Any assessment offered is always about the young carer’s needs, not about judging how well they care for someone.

Support for young carers in Leeds

Young carers under 18 in Leeds can get support from the Family Action Leeds Young Carers Support Service.

This service helps:

• identify young carers who may be hidden
• reduce inappropriate caring
• make sure young carers have a voice and influence
• direct families to the right support

The service offers:

Information and Advice

• For young carers, families and professionals.
• This helps make sure young carers get the support they need.

Awareness Raising
Community Engagement Practitioners can train teams to:

• spot young carers
• understand their needs
• offer support
• share information about community services and activities

Specialist Support
For young carers with higher needs who cannot be supported by universal or Early Help services.
This may include:

• a full assessment
• an outcomes‑focused plan
• group support

Support for Young People aged 16–25
Carers Leeds offers information, advice and emotional support through their Young Adult Carer project.

Contact Details

If a child or young person has caring responsibilities, contact the Leeds Young Carers Support Service.

• Phone: 0113 733 9126
• Email: Leedsyoungcarers@family-action.org.uk

If you take care of someone who couldn't manage without your help, you are entitled to a carer's assessment.

This is a chance for you to have a conversation about how your caring responsibilities affect your wellbeing and quality of life. It is not to judge the care that you provide, but to see how we can help make your life easier.

You can ask for an assessment at any time by calling the adult social care team on: 0113 222 4401 (weekdays 9am to 5pm, except Wednesdays from 10am)

Carers Leeds

The Carers Leeds parent carer support service provides free information, advice and emotional support to anyone in Leeds who cares for a child with special educational needs and disabilities.

In addition to our one to one support for carers, we also offer online support groups with other parent carers, benefits guidance, a regular newsletter and parent carer Facebook page.

We are open to parents / carers living in Leeds, with no age limit.

Contact details:

• Tel: 0113 380 4300 
• Email: advice@carersleeds.org.uk
• Website: https://www.carersleeds.org.uk/  

Financial support for carers

Information about financial support for carers can be found on the financial support page on the Leeds Local Offer website. 

Family and Friends Kinship Policy.

The Family and Friends Kinship policy provides information about education and where to access support.  

Click here to download the policy. 

Leeds Tri-x 

Leeds City Council use Tri-X, which is a web based platform, to share information about the processes and support available for foster carers and kinship carers in Leeds. 

• Click here for Kinship Carers information and support.
• Click here for Foster Carers information and support. 

Support groups

Kinship and Foster carers can access any of the SEND parent carer support groups in Leeds. 

Healthy Holidays - eligibility for foster and kinship carers

The Healthy Holidays programme is part of the Department for Education’s Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) scheme. Its main aim is to support children and young people who receive income‑related free school meals (FSM).

In Leeds, the council must show that at least 85% of children taking part meet this FSM eligibility. Although children in Key Stage 1 and Year 2 receive Universal Free School Meals, they must also meet the income threshold (household income below £7,400 per year) to be eligible for Healthy Holidays.

There is up to 15% flexibility within the programme to support children considered vulnerable, including:

• Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
• Young carers
• Children in foster care or kinship care

Leeds City Council allows individual Healthy Holidays providers to decide whether they will use this 15% flexibility. Not all providers will do so, as many already have high demand from FSM‑eligible children. For example, a club with 20 places could offer a maximum of 3 places under the flexibility rule.

Parents and carers can contact a provider directly if they believe their child needs additional support. If the provider agrees and has capacity, they will issue a unique code, which allows the child to be approved under the provider’s 15% flexible places via the Healthy Holidays booking system.

The council acknowledges that the programme could benefit more children if funding and eligibility rules were less restrictive, but it must operate within Department for Education guidelines.

For more information, families and professionals can contact: HealthyHolidays@leeds.gov.uk or visit the Healthy Holidays Leeds website.