Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)

Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

Question reference: S4W-00613

Asked by: Mark McDonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 June 2011
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 16 June 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive how many children under the age of 16 have been registered as a carer for an adult relative in each local authority area in each year since 1999.

There is no formal register of young carers.

The 2001 Census identified 16,701 children and young people in Scotland who were providing unpaid care. However young carers are sometimes difficult to identify and other studies suggest that there could be between 80,000 and 115,000 young carers in Scotland.

The Scottish Government is introducing a classification of “young carers” into the 2012 school census, which will report on the numbers of young carers who have been identified in schools. This will help raise awareness of young carers, resulting in more being identified and supported.

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Question reference: S4W-00613

Answer