Table 2. Inclusion and exclusion criteria for scoping review.

Inclusion	Rationale
Articles confined to the English language.	Searches will be limited to English language due to the costs and time involved in translation and interpretation.
Studies published between 2000 and 2020.	The search period will be confined to 2000–2020. Peer reviewed young carer research literature began to emerge from the year 2000.
Studies relating to young carers and young adult carers attending second level education.	The complete research study is focusing on people in upper second level education who care for a family member with a debilitating illness, disability, a mental health issue or an addiction.
Exclusion	Rationale
Studies relating to younger carers who have not completed the junior certificate cycle and primary school pupils.	The focus of the complete study is on young carers in secondary school who are approaching adulthood where future career prospects become more pronounced.
Carers who are attending upper level secondary school as a second attempt	The focus of research is on young carers who are in second level schooling for the first time.
Non-English language studies	English language is the primary language spoken and read by the study reviewers. All non-English language papers will be acknowledged, and their existence documented with ‘language’ recorded as the reason for exclusion due to constraints on time, cost and translator availability ( University of York, 2009).