General practice*

The editorial on child maltreatment in the September issue of the BJGP prompted me to think again about young carers. It talked about the fact that many maltreated and vulnerable children do not have an administratively competent carer and that often parents have health issues such as alcohol misuse or physical or mental health problems that can affect their children. In general practice it is not uncommon for us to see the parents but not see the young people themselves.