The Young Carers Service works with children and young people to try to minimise the impact that their caring role has on them.
It is for those aged 8 to 18 years, who live with someone who has:
- an illness or disability;
- mental health or substance misuse issue.
Among others, this includes:
- mobility issues;
- cancer;
- depression;
- alcohol addiction;
- MS;
- diabetes.
It offers:
- An assessment to find out your needs and to make sure the right support is given.
- A range of services based on your needs, which includes:
- respite activities;
- individual or group work;
- support in school;
- support for the whole family.
How does it work?
All staff attend regular training events to keep them up-to-date with new ideas and developments.
They speak to their manager regularly to explain what they have been doing. Also, to make sure they have the support to do their job well.
The workers agree that every member of the family should:
- be listened to;
- say what they need;
- have a right to be involved in making decisions that affect them;
- be treated as individuals;
- and workers will only share information outside of the service when it is necessary.
Contact with young carers and their families is recorded on an electronic system. We will ask for consent during the first meeting to do this.
What does it do?
The Young Carers Service offers a Young Carers Assessment to all those referred to the service.
The assessment helps to find out what the best plan of support is for you and your family.
As family members often have different needs, we work with many organisations to get you the best possible support. This can include:
- Schools;
- Colleges;
- and Education Support, such as:
- Education Welfare Officers;
- Educational Psychologists;
- Learning Mentors;
- Home School Liaison Officers;
- C&K Careers;
- Health (doctors, psychiatrists, school nurses, CPNs);
- Family Support;
- Young People's Services;
- Leisure Services;
- Housing and more.
Services include:
- Information and advice.
- Group sessions. Weekly activities to give a break, social events, short projects to work on specific topics. Also, the chance to talk about how the service can be improved.
- Advocacy. To give young carers and their families a louder voice.
- Individual support. Time to talk and to work on particular problems.
- Support in school. Through the use of the Young Carers Passport Scheme and via drop-ins (for selected schools only).