[tim gilling]

Thanks for raising this issue through the Forum - there are several review reports in our library that look at issues relating to young carers and perhaps colleagues involved in those reviews can comment about the statistical issues you have raised.

My experience of the Common Assessment Framework is that it will only pick up issues once families or young people are 'in the system' and might therefore continue to miss the majority of young carers and their families. I wonder how many Children's Services departments are aware that they are now expected to be gathering data on numbers of young carers?

I wonder if your OSC also made a recommendation to Dept of Children Schools and Families about this issue?

At CfPS we are seeking to expand the influence of our Healthy Accountability Forum in to social care issues - perhaps we could theme of our sessions around this topic and invite the relevant Dept along?