A Bournemouth-based charity has presented a ground-breaking report at the Houses of Parliament, highlighting the struggles young carers face in education.
On 16 September, MYTIME Young Carers unveiled Punished for Caring: Suspensions, Exclusions, and the Young Carer Crisis in an event hosted by Bournemouth East MP Tom Hayes, who spoke about his own experiences growing up as a young carer.
The report, written by MYTIME’s Level Up Academy Lead Shakira Bryan, is the first of its kind. It reveals that young carers in secondary schools are more than twice as likely to be suspended as their peers. It also shows that permanent exclusions are more than double for young carers, and nearly half of young carers are persistently absent from school.
The launch brought together researchers, educators, policymakers, and representatives from Ofsted, charities, the House of Commons, and the House of Lords.
Tom Hayes MP said it meant a great deal to welcome the charity and young carers to Parliament, adding that their work “lays bare the current support gap, and why we need urgent access to ensure young carers are supported.”
MYTIME CEO Krista Cartlidge said many behaviours linked to caring responsibilities were being misread and punished as misconduct, stressing the importance of greater awareness.
Shakira Bryan called for schools to act differently, urging them to appoint Young Carer Champions, adopt flexible learning, and provide training to identify and support pupils with caring responsibilities.
The report is the first in a series from MYTIME aimed at building evidence and driving change. Its Level Up Programme is already working with schools across the country to improve support and outcomes for young carers.
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