To help ensure no young carer slips through the net, schools need to take a proactive approach to identifying and supporting young carers.
It's difficult to talk to teachers. It's not easy to explain ... It's always in the corridor or class. I just don't tell them.
Young carer
All schools should ensure they have agreed procedures in place in place to identify, assess, support and refer young carers and their families.
What guidance is available to support schools set up the appropriate systems?
Step 6: Setting up Systems to Identify, Assess and Support Young Carers provides key information about the different systems schools can implement to meet young carers' needs effectively.
It aims to make it as easy as possible for schools to prioritise which systems they will implement next, by categorising the systems into:
- The basics
- Beyond the basics
- Best practice
The [peer support] group allowed me to talk in a safe place without being laughed at.Young carer
This step is taken from Supporting Young Carers in Schools: A Step-by-step Guide for Leaders, Teachers and Non-Teaching Staff. The steps from this guide are designed to be used in order.
Tools
Step 6, Tool 1: Checklist of support young carers may need
Step 6, Tool 2: Running a peer support group for young carers
Step 6, Tool 3: Exemplar hand out for pupils to complete and post into a message box
Step 6, Tool 4: How to run a young carers forum
Step 6, Tool 5: Working with school nurses to support young carers and their families
Step 6, Tool 6: Working in partnership with young carers services
Step 6, Tool 7: Checklist for effective partnership working between schools and young carers services
Step 6, Tool 8: Exemplar working together agreement for use with young carers services
Step 6, Tool 9: Supporting young carers to participate post-16
Step 6, Tool 10:Supporting young carers to transition into adulthood
Step 6, Tool 11: Checklist of support that families of young carers may need
What to do next
Once you have set up processes to identify, assess and support young carers, go to Step 7: Raising awareness of school staff about young carers.
Related content
- Who are Young Carers?
- Young Carers and their Education
- Young Carers and School
- Supporting Young Carers in Schools: A Step-by-step Guide for Leaders, Teachers and Non-teaching Staff
- Young Carers and Bullying
- Young Adult Carers and College
- Young Adult Carers at University
- Young Adult Carers - Employment and Training