Young Carers Policy

Policy details

• Date created - February 2024
• Approved by Governors on - Pending
• Next review date February 2027
• Policy owner - Joanne Pilling

Introduction

We are aware that some students in our school may well have caring roles at home.

Definition of a Young Carer

“A Young Carer is a child or young person under the age of 18 who carries out significant caring tasks and assumes a level of responsibility for another person which would normally be taken by an adult.”

We believe that all children and young people should have equal access to education, regardless of their circumstances at home and that whilst some children have to take on inappropriate or excessive levels of caring responsibilities we need to make sure that their educational needs are addressed.

When a young person does look after someone in their family who has a serious illness, disability, mental health issue or suffers a substance misuse problem, they may need a little extra support to help them get the most out of school.

We aim to understand the issues faced by Young Carers and support any student who helps to look after someone at home.

We aim to support Young Carers through a whole-school approach and through working with other agencies and professionals, with the understanding that support for the whole family is in the best interests of the Young Carer. We have various strategies as indicated below to ensure this:

Our Approach to Young Carers

1. A school lead will be assigned and will have special responsibility for Young Carers and their families. Students and families will be made aware of the identity of the school's lead.

2. During the school enrolment process for new students, the school will identify whether:

• parent(s) or family members have disabilities or other long-term physical or mental health problems
• the student helps to look after them and if this has an impact on their education.

3. The academy will aim to offer support to improve attendance and student’s wellbeing.

4. The right to student’s and families’ privacy will be respected and the academy will only  share information with professionals and agencies on a ‘need to know basis’ in order to support students and families.

5. Information about support available for Young Carers and how to access it will be made clearly available to both students and families.

• The school recognises that Young Carers and their families need to receive coordinated support by the academy, working in partnership where appropriate with general  practitioners, Young Carers’ services, behaviour and education support teams
• Young Carers will be referred or signposted to other support agencies and professionals  as appropriate, including the local Young Carers’ service.
• The academy will refer or signpost families to other support services when appropriate

6. The academy adheres to the Disability Discrimination Acts (1995, 2005).

• The academy is accessible to parents with disabilities and/or illness, offering additional support to enable them to attend parents’ evenings or other academy events. Home visits will be considered where appropriate.
• The academy will offer additional support to remove any communication barriers with parents, so that parents are able to be fully engaged with the education of their child.

7. The academy will identify those Young Carers at risk of falling into the ‘Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET)’ category and take appropriate actions to address this.

8. The academy will offer support to the young person and their family during the transition process, sharing agreed information with their new school/college lead for Young Carers  and their families.

9. Relevant aspects of the curriculum will be used to encourage positive approaches by all teachers and staff working with Young Carers.

10. The academy will use the curriculum to promote a full understanding, acceptance of, and respect for, issues such as caring, disability and impairment, for example, embedding the challenges faced by Young Carers into the curriculum.

11. The school will consider alternatives if a Young Carer is unable to attend out of the academy activities, such as sports coaching or concerts, due to their caring role. The school will also consider lunchtime detentions rather than after school ones.

12. The school will allow Young Carers to use an academy telephone to call home during breaks and lunchtimes so as to reduce any worry they may have about a family member.

13. Other appropriate policies, such as a bullying policy, will take Young Carers into account.

Support within the Academy

Our Young Carers Champion is Miss Joanne Pilling

joanne.pilling@coopacademies.co.uk (0161 250 3101)

Support or further information can be obtained from our Senior Leadership Team, Heads of Year and any member of the Safeguarding Team.