Supporting Young Carers in Schools: Identifying & Addressing Needs
A young carer is a child or young person caring for family members with long-term physical or mental illnesses, disabilities, or substance misuse issues. They face educational challenges and impacts on all aspects of their lives. Learn about identifying young carers, supporting their needs, and changes in legislation. Discover the experiences of young carers through powerful documentaries. Explore tools and assessments to reduce caring impacts and meet their needs effectively.
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Identifying and Supporting Young Carers in Schools Sara Gowen and Laura Selby Sheffield Young Carers (SYC) Tel: 0114 258 4595 Email: sara@sheffieldyoungcarers.org.uk / laura@sheffieldyoungcarers.org.uk Website: www.sheffieldyoungcarers.org.uk
Young Carers A young carer is a child or young person caring for one or more family members who have: long term physical illnesses mental illnesses disabilities substance misuse issues
Young Carers https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT9puV-beQFWVQ3XtMk1f7vDUQNE3yBIUOXWvW3a6FEeWSEb7w-DQ 1 in 12 children and young people provide mid to high-level care (BBC, 2010) Potentially over 7000 young carers aged under 18 in Sheffield Young carers remain a very hidden and under-served group Young carers have significantly lower educational attainment at GCSE level - the equivalent to nine grades lower overall than their peers (Hidden from View, Children's Society, 2013) Caring responsibilities impacts on every aspect of young people s lives, both short and long term
Young Carers Experiences https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRN2RDiBYSHzomnh-D_LNCVJ9LaOXjvnbCeoobl6egbFpTwMSbg Sheffield Young Carers: We Care, Do You? Powerful yet uplifting documentary made by young carers aged 8-13 from across Sheffield www.sheffieldyoungcarers.org.uk/videos
Changes in Legislation The Children and Families Act 2014 and the Care Act 2014, which came into force in April 2015, give young carers the right to an assessment for the first time and new duties to agencies working with children and young people to be offering these assessments. For more information, see: https://professionals.carers.org/new-rights-young-carers-england www.carersuk.org/help-and-advice/practical-support/getting-care-and- support/young-carers-and-carers-of-children-under-18 www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/527/made
Meeting the Needs of Young Carers: Young Carers Assessments Tool to explore ways to reduce the amount and impacts of caring To be completed by practitioners to inform their own work with the young carer and their family, involving other services where appropriate (with the young person s knowledge / consent) Can be completed by any practitioner from any service working with the family the young carer may have a preference who they complete the assessment with The form and guidance notes are available via the SCC website: www.sheffield.gov.uk/caresupport/carers/youngcarers/needs-assessment.html
Identifying Young Carers in Your School: Learning from the VOYCE Project Proactive identification: Our proactive identification process has led high numbers of previously unknown carers being identified, for example: Southey Green Primary (Y5 & 6): 17 young carers Athelstan Primary (Y5 & 6): 20 young carers Handsworth Grange Community Sports College (Y7-11): 64 young carers Impact of support: supporting young carers can make a difference to their attendance and attainment. Since the start of the VOYCE project, 143 young carers have had one-to-one and/or group interventions. Of these: 49% experienced improved attendance 56% had reduced lates (of 85 young carers where this had been a problem) 70% showed improvement in Maths 73% showed improvement in English VOYCE Sharing the Learning Conference Wednesday 9th March, 12.30 to 6:00pm St Mary s Conference Centre, Bramall Lane, S2 4QZ
Identifying and Supporting Young Carers in Your School Sheffield Young Carers Schools Network: Access to resources and training, including staff training, assemblies, lesson plans, group work programmes, and one to one resources Current membership: 23 secondary schools, 31 primary schools and two alternative providers Capacity to respond to high levels of need: Potential to use Pupil Premium to fund this work : https://professionals.carers.org/sites/default/files/pupil_premium_-_primary_school_resource.pdf
Recognition for Schools: Young Carers in Schools Award Young Carers in Schools Award is an exciting England-wide initiative, where schools can show that they are meeting the needs of a particularly vulnerable group of pupils (specifically mentioned in Ofsted s School Inspection Handbook) There are Bronze, Silver and Gold level awards The award was piloted in Sheffield in 2015, with one school achieving silver and three achieving bronze The programme open for schools nationwide in May 2015 For more details see: www.carers.org/young-carers-schools
Feedback from Schools Fantastic project that offers breadth as well as depth to young carers and great training and support to professionals. Very impressive capacity for networking and partnership working which we benefit from. SYC highlighted to the school children we didn't realise were young carers. An excellent organisation, providing a service that is much needed and appreciated. What do you value most about SYC? Their willingness to provide support and training to help identify and support young carers. Their flexibility in meeting with our staff to deliver training. Their insight and understanding into the needs of young carers and the quality of the information materials provided to us.
Over to you! Based on this information, what could you do to increase the identification of young carers in your school? www.sheffieldyoungcarers.org.uk Tel: 0114 258 4595
