Supporting Young Carers: A resource for schools
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The(former)Princess Royal Trust for Carers, in partnership with The Children’s Society, has produced Supporting young carers: a resource for schools. It helps schools develop a deeper understanding of the issues faced by young carers, in order to support this vulnerable group of pupils more effectively and ensure they achieve their full potential.
This free resource is split into five sections and then into chapters. It will guide your school through the steps needed to support young carers; from developing understanding and identifying young carers, to strategic and practical support and building a healthy school environment where young carers can flourish.
• Each chapter bullets how it supports schools. These can form a school’s action plan.
• Chapters are highlighted for particular members of staff, although collaborative work amongst all staff is most effective
• Although designed to be used independently by schools, implementation of the resource can be supported by a local young carers’ service.
Please note that key tools are found within chapters:
4.1 Barriers to learning and possible solutions
12.1 School policy checklist
33.1 Lesson and assembly planning
33.2 Young carers’ stories
33.3 Building your library
33.4 Sample role-play for an assembly, drama, PSHE or SEAL lesson
33.5 Young carers give top tips for their peers
34.1 How our school supports young carers: a template (a model text)
34.2 Information and contacts for young carers: a template
34.3 Information and contacts for parents: a template
Front Cover School Resource Pack (186 KB) Introduction (70 KB) Contents School Resource Pack (114 KB)
A. An Overview
An overview shows what it means to be a young carer and the impacts that caring can have on a young person. It also details the national legislation and guidance surrounding young carers.
1 Who Are Young Carers (109 KB) 2 Young Carers And Their Education (115 KB) 3 National Legislation And Guidance (134 KB)
B. Barriers to learning
This section explores the barriers to learning that young carers face and offers solutions for reducing these barriers. It explores key issues such as attendance, bullying, behaviour and transport.
4 Barriers To Learning Faced By Young Carers (181 KB) 5. Attendance (148 KB) 6. Behaviour (147 KB) 7. Bullying (138 KB) 8 Transport to and from school (154 KB)
C. A strategic approach
A strategic approach is aimed at school improvement partners, school governors, the senior management team, pastoral leads and those staff who have a specific lead for young carers and their families. It sets out the rationale for supporting this vulnerable group and includes case studies from schools who have been working in partnership with young carers’ services and short stories from young carers themselves. A strategic approach will help your school in setting the strategic direction for supporting young carers and highlights the need for policy, training and awareness and the role of a named staff member with lead responsibility for young carers.
9. A model for setting up a framework of support (184 KB) 10. How can school governors help? (163 KB) 11. School leadership teams (204 KB) 12 Developing A School Policy For Young Carers And Their Families (138 KB) 13 Developing A School Lead for young carers and their families (201 KB) 14 Staff Training And Awareness (129 KB) 15. Who else can help (169 KB)
D. Supporting young carers in your school
This section looks at the needs of different groups of young carers and the importance of early intervention and identification. It details the ‘journey of support’ from identification, assessment and safeguarding through to support with transition at the end of secondary school and on into further education.
It explores what support can be put in place using personalised approaches, partnership working and the need to ‘think family’ when supporting young carers.
16. Working with young carers: a model (167 KB) 17. Early intervention and preventative work (163 KB) 18. Identification of young carers (178 KB) 19. Pupils with parents affected by substance misuse (176 KB) 20. Pupils with parents with mental ill-health (176 KB) 21. Pupils caring for someone with a learning disability (153 KB) 22. Pupils caring for a sibling (153 KB) 23. Pupils from migrant families (173 KB) 24. Assessment and monitoring (197 KB) 25. Safeguarding (170 KB) 26. Supporting learning: A personalised approach to education and support (178 KB) 27. Crises and emergency plans (157 KB) 28. Support for the whole family: signposting, referrals and partnership work (175 KB) 29 Access Support And Involving Parents With Disabilities (130 KB) 30. Working in partnership with young carers’ services (181 KB) 31. Transition from primary to secondary school (153 KB) 32. Higher and further education (169 KB)
E. Building a healthy school environment
This section aims to help schools build an environment where young carers and their families feel safe, accepted and understood. It offers information and resources for schools to use in order to promote understanding about young carers’ issues and ensure that pupils and families have the information they need to seek support. It includes ideas for lessons and assemblies, case studies from young carers and model texts for schools to adapt and use.
33 Raising Awareness Amongst All Pupils (208 KB) 34 Information for young carers and parents (191 KB) Further Reading - Schools pack (135 KB) Acknowledgements (105 KB)
Here, you can also download posters for the schools resource pack: School poster for pupils (163 KB) School poster for staff (182 KB)
Schools’ Resource Survey Results 2010 Final Survey Results 2010 (42 KB)
Please email info@carers.org to let us know about:
• anything that is missing that you would find useful
• any further good practice or resources
• any updates needed or broken links
• any other feedback
