The University of Nottingham

The University has helped to uncover new evidence that the number of young carers in the UK could be as many 700,000 — four times more than originally thought. The BBC surveyed more than 4,000 secondary school pupils using a psychometric test — the Multidimensional Assessment of Caring Activities for young carers (MACA YC18) — devised by Professors Saul Becker and Stephen Joseph, and Fiona Becker in the School of Sociology and Social Policy. Two journalists who co-ordinated the research are alumni – David Howard (English 2001), who is a reporter for BBC Radio 1’s Newsbeat and Jonathan Wells (Theology 2003), who works on the BBC’s lunchtime and 6pm news programmes.