Whole school approach to young carers in schools

Where can I sign up to the Carer Friendly Tick Award?

Caring Together can help you to create a whole-school or setting approach to identifying and supporting young carers through their Carer Friendly Tick Award programme.

How can we support young carers through transitions between year groups, schools and settings?

Young carers may need additional support during transitions as this can be an even more difficult time with the addition of a caring role. It is vital that they are supported to ensure a smooth transition and that relevant support is continued in their next setting.

Ensure you have reviewed your arrangements for transitions support to ensure they meet the needs of young carers, consider:

• Have your young carers been able to visit their next setting? What adaptations may be needed e.g. additional visit dates?
• Have you explained how the next setting will be - what might be the same as this year and what might be different?
• Do they know what support is available at their next setting? Introduce young carers to the young carers champion in the new setting in the summer term and make sure they know how to access them. They can explain what support the school can offer the young carer and where to find them in school.
• Does the new setting know what support you have provided? Ensure once you have consent that the secondary school knows who all the identified young carers are, their caring circumstances and what support they currently receive. Consider the wishes of the young carer and their family when informing the new setting of their caring role - what information would they like to be shared? How?
• Offer to organise a visit for the young carers and parents/guardians to the secondary school in order to meet with the young carer lead/year head/pastoral lead to discuss family circumstances and give the young carer the opportunity to explain what it is like for them. (The young carer could have this information written down as they may find it difficult to talk about their caring role). Also if the family need to explain any special arrangements that are needed, for example in order to access parents' evening, etc.
• In September arrange a meeting between the young carer champion and the young carers to remind them about who they are and where to find them if they are worried or need support

Caring Together have produced a Transition Booklet for year 6s.

Carers Trust provides practical tips, guidance and case studies to help staff in further education college settings and higher education to establish and embed support for young carers and young adult carers.

Are there any important dates we should be aware of?

• Young Carers Action Day, celebrated next year on Wednesday 13 March 2024, is an annual nationwide event organised by the Carers Trust aimed at raising awareness of the importance of young carers across the country. See Carers Trust website for more information.
• Carers Week, celebrated next year from 10 to 16 June 2024. Please see the Carers Week 2024 - Awareness Days Events Calendar 2023 website for information.
• Carers Rights Day, celebrated this year on Thursday 23 November 2023. Please see the UK Carers: Carers Rights Day website for information on upcoming Carers Rights days.

Follow the Carers Trust website for more information about upcoming awareness raising dates!

What other information is out there?

• Carers Matter Norfolk: Supporting young carers in Norfolk - A toolkit for professionals (youngcarersmatternorfolk.org).
• The Carer's Trust and The Children's Society have produced a Supporting Young Carers in Schools: A Step-by-step Guide for use in secondary and primary schools.
• Caring Together offers support to organisations and helps young carers to have their voices heard.
• The Carer's Trust resources section is regularly updated and includes toolkits, research and best practice guides.
• Safeguarding Network: Young Carers provides further information and resources.