MORE children could be forced to care for their sick loved ones without any support under the government’s proposed health reforms, a leading charity has warned.

The Health and Care Bill could lead to more sick and disabled adults being discharged from hospital into the sole care of children, without any assessment of what help their carers might need, according to Barnardo’s.

It says that the legislation as currently drafted “risks being a Bill written by adults for adults” and fails to recognise the needs of vulnerable child carers.

The Care Act 2014 requires hospital patients with ongoing care and support needs to have an assessment prior to being discharged.

Young carers are usually identified and referred for their own needs assessment to their local authority.

But the new Bill removes the requirement for the hospital assessment, which Barnardo’s says creates a missed opportunity for young carers to be spotted.

It says children are already slipping through the net and it is worried that the new legislation could lead to more young people caring under the radar and sacrificing their education or mental health.

The House of Lords will debate a cross-party amendment to the Bill today.

Marisa Olusemo was 15 and preparing for her GCSEs when her mother Jacqueline was discharged from hospital after having her leg amputated following complications from diabetes.

She said that she became a young carer “without realising it” on top of taking on greater caring responsibilities for her brother who has learning difficulties.

While hospital staff focused on making the home more accessible for a wheelchair user, she said nobody spoke to her directly or offered her any support or information.

The now 18-year-old, who lives in east London, said: “I felt overlooked and ignored by the healthcare professionals.

“I would tidy the house when nurses came for home visits and help them while they visited.

“I would also accompany my mum to GP appointments, but none of this prompted any questions or checks from the professionals.

“As a result, my mental health really suffered. I started to have anxiety attacks and my schoolwork became worse. I have now also developed a strong phobia of hospitals.

“Some of that impact could have been avoided if support had been in place for me from the start.”