MYTIME Young Carers is calling for urgent national reform after new analysis reveals a staggering shortfall in the number of young carers identified by schools across England, with children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) at particular risk of slipping through the cracks.
Published during Learning Disability Awareness Week, the MYTIME report shows that:
40% of primary aged young carers were identified as having SEND
35% of secondary aged young carers had identified SEND needs
22% of the secondary aged young carers with SEND had more than one need
These figures published by MYTIME indicate a significant increase in likelihood of having SEND for young carers, versus the 29% national SEND average.
The odds continue to stack against young carers’ favour, with nationwide underreporting leading to widening gaps and more young people falling through them. According to recent public data from the Department for Education’s 2025 School Census, only 64,475 young carers are currently identified in England. This is just a fraction of the one million children estimated by experts believed to have caring responsibilities.
“These numbers expose a system that is still failing to recognise and support young carers, particularly those with additional learning needs,” said Krista Cartlidge, CEO of MYTIME Young Carers. “Children who are both carers and have SEND face a double disadvantage and too many are being left behind, unsupported, and unheard.”
The charity’s findings paint a stark picture:
- Children with SEND are more likely to be carers and more likely to face socioeconomic hardship, yet less likely to be recognised by their schools as such.
- Pupils with SEND are twice as likely to receive Free School Meals, compounding the barriers they face in accessing education on equal terms.
These figures come during Learning Disability Week 2025, as calls grow louder for schools to take urgent action to meet the needs of young carers.
MYTIME Young Carers is calling for:
- Add young carers to the list of protected characteristics in education
Add ‘young carer’ to the list of protected characteristics, requiring schools and local authorities to formally recognise and support them, ensuring their rights are upheld and their needs are met.
- Mandate Early Identification in Schools
Implement mandatory early identification tools for both young carers and children with SEND, in line with the SEND Code of Practice. Schools must be proactive in listening to pupils and families to spot hidden needs early.
- Prioritise Research into Overlapping Vulnerabilities
Commission urgent Department for Education led research into the intersection of caring responsibilities, SEND, and disadvantage, to ensure targeted, evidence-based interventions for this most vulnerable group
