Written answers

Thursday, 15 December 2011

5:00 pm

Photo of Aengus Ó SnodaighAengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 52: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans to address the needs of young carers and increase the profile of potential caring responsibilities of young persons among professionals in statutory and non-statutory bodies. [40378/11]

Photo of Frances FitzgeraldFrances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Study of Young Carers in the Irish Population, published by my Department in 2010, highlights the importance of creating a better understanding of children as carers in Ireland. It found that it is very difficult to identify young carers in the population.

In order to learn more about children that undertake caring roles, my Department requested the Central Statistics Office to include a question in the Census of Population 2011. People of all ages were asked whether they provide any unpaid personal help for a friend or family member with a long term-term illness, health problem or disability. These census results are due for publication in November 2012.

It is further planned, under the National Strategy for Research and Data on Children's Lives published by my Department last month, that a detailed analysis of those children who report in the 2011 Census that they undertake caring roles, will be carried out by the end of 2013. It is anticipated that the analysis will inform future policy as to how best to address the support needs of children and young people who undertake caring roles.

The Government is committed to developing a National Carer's Strategy to support carers and to address issues of concern. The Department of Children and Youth Affairs will work closely with the Department Health in the development of the new strategy to ensure that the needs of young carers are comprehensively addressed as part of an integrated approach to policy and supports for carers.

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