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A Young Carer provides care, assistance or support to another familiy member who has a learning disability, a physical or long-term mental illness, or has a substance misuse problem.

The carry out, often on a regular basis, significant or substantial caring tasks, taking a level of responsibilty that is inappropriate to their age or development.

Young Carers may also care for parents with periodic spells of illness, such as poor mental health, where in a acute phase; the caring role is sudden and intense.

The nature and extent of the difficulties that Young Carers face will depend on a number of factors, however many Young Carers find that their lives are significantly affected by their caring responsibilities.

Please speak to Ms Hingley if you feel your child is a Young Carer.

Contact Ms Hingley

In addition to support at school you may also want to consider making a referral to Swindon Carers Centre

Every Young Carer can have an assessment of their needs. This will be completed by a Young Carers Support Worker and will help find the best services for the Young Carer. This normally takes about an hour and a Support Worker can meet in your own home or arrange an appointment at school.

Once the assessment has been carried out, the Young Carers Support Worker will offer a number of choices based on the level of that assessment that may include the following:

• telephone, text or e-mail support
• time out, away from home with a Young Carers Support Worker
• activities in small groups during school holidays
• short breaks and residential trips
• weekly/fortnightly groups mixing with other Young Carers of the same age.
• referral to other projects or groups
• possible funding for individual activities

Further information and referral forms

If you would like further information about support for Young Carers at Wanborough Primary School, you can return This Form.

Rachel Hingley, Young Carer Lead

‘A Young Carer is someone under 18 who helps look after someone in their family, or a friend, who is ill, disabled or misuses drugs or alcohol’ carerstrust

Here are some important facts that you may not know:

• There are over 700,000 Young Carers in the UK
• There are approximately 2 carers in every class of 30 pupils in the UK
• The average age of a Young Carer is 13
• Many Young Carers remain hidden
• 35% of Young Carers say that nobody in their school is aware of their caring role