Commentary on Parts Part 2 – Adult Carer Support Plans and Young Carer Statements Duty to prepare young carer statement Section 12 - Duty to prepare young carer statement
34.This section creates an equivalent in relation to young carers to section 6 in relation to adult carers. Subsection (1) defines what a “young carer statement” is, namely a statement prepared by the responsible authority that sets out a young carer’s identified personal outcomes, any identified needs and any support to be provided by the responsible local authority to the young carer to meet those needs. Subsection (2) places a duty on the responsible authority so that where they identify a person as a young carer, the responsible authority must offer the person a young carer statement. The process for identifying those outcomes and needs will be set out in regulations under section 14. Section 15 gives more information about the content of the young carer statement. Sections 19 and 20 determine who the responsible authority is in relation to a young carer.
35.Subsection (3) requires the responsible authority to prepare a young carer statement if the person accepts an offer made under subsection (2) or the person requests a plan in accordance with subsection (4).
36.Subsection (4) applies where a person who appears to the responsible authority to be a young carer requests a young carer statement: that is, if a young person self-identifies as a young carer and the responsible local authority agrees that the young person comes within the definition of young carer under section 2 of the Act.
37.Subsection (5) provides that subsection (3) will apply whether or not the young carer also requires a child’s plan in accordance with section 33 of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014. So a young carer, who may have a child’s plan under that Act because he or she has a wellbeing need which requires a targeted intervention, will always have a young carer statement as well, focussing distinctly on the young carer’s needs as a carer.
38.Subsection (6) provides that where the responsible authority, in relation to a young carer, is not also the responsible local authority, the responsible authority must not provide the young carer statement to the young carer without the approval of the responsible local authority. This is because it is the responsible local authority which would actually provide support to the young carer to meet any needs that are identified.
39.Subsection (7) requires responsible local authorities, when exercising their functions concerning the preparation of the young carer statement, to do so in a manner which encourages equal opportunities and in particular observance of the equal opportunity requirements. ‘Equal opportunity requirements’ means the requirements of the law for the time being relating to the prevention, elimination or regulation of discrimination between persons on grounds of sex or marital status, on racial grounds, or on grounds of disability, age, sexual orientation, language or social origin, or of other personal attributes, including beliefs of opinions, such as religious beliefs or opinions (which is the meaning given in Section L2 of Part 2 of schedule 5 of the Scotland Act 1998).
40.Subsection (8) defines “responsible authority” for the purposes of Chapter 2 as having the meaning given by sections 19 and 20. It also defines “responsible local authority” for the purposes of Chapter 2 as the local authority for the area in which the cared-for person resides.