To ask the Secretary of State for Health what mechanisms will be included in the Children's NSF to ensure that health and social services professionals consult young carers on their needs. [109934]

The national service framework (NSF) will help to ensure that care is centred on the child or young person and that health and social services are designed and delivered around their needs. It will also ensure that young people and their families can take an active part in making decisions about their care.An expert working group has been established to focus specifically on the needs of 'children in special circumstances', which is intended to include young carers. The NSF aims to narrow the gap in outcomes between children in special circumstances and their peers by putting in place systems to identify children such as child carers, offer them high quality, holistic assessment, and to promote and safeguard their health and wellbeing. The NSF will ensure that health and social care professionals are aware of the needs of young carers, and actively consult with them in planning any decisions which affect them. In support of this work, a wide-ranging series of consultations have been held with different groups of children in special circumstances, including one with a young carers group.