Young Carers Awareness in schools.

We feel that there should be more taught about Young Carers issues as part of the National Curriculum in all schools.

With the current system it is left up to each individual school to decide how much is taught about young carers issues, which leads to some schools offering fantastic support and other schools offering nothing.

We want the Government to make it compulsary for all schools to support young carers, and teach about young carers issues so that there is greater understanding, and empathy within the school's community.

The Princess Royal Trust for Carers and Children's Society have created a free online resource for schools to use to raise more awareness of young carers issues amongst pupils within schools, and to guide teachers on how best to support young carers.

So there is a  resource there ready for schools to use.

The UN Convention on the Rights of a Child states that a child has the right to be able to achieve his or her full potential, whatever their situation, and that the child should be prepared for a responsible life in a free society, in the spirit of understanding, peace, tolerance and equality. It also states that a child has the right to be listened to and treated with respect.

The Children's Commissioner for Wales' report "Full of care / All right gov" dated 2009 stated that young carers wanted more recognition and 54% felt that they only got help when they reached a crisis point - "too little, too late!"

The recent BBC research study published on 16th Nov 2010 proved that there are at least 4 times as many young carers in the UK as was previously thought, now estimated at 700,000.

If all schools (including Primary schools ) were teaching about young carers issues as part of the curriculum

~  They would be better prepared to identify young carers early on in their school life.

~  More young carers would receive the support they need, which in turn would give them a better chance of reaching their full potential and having the same opportunities in life as their peers.

~   It would also create  better understanding, tolerance, empathy and respect from children who are not personally affected by illness or disability at all.

Thank you for signing this petition.

When we have enough signatures, we will be sending this to No 10 Downing Street.