Young Carers

A young carer is a child or young person under 18 who helps to look after a family member who has a disability, long‑term illness, mental health difficulty or substance misuse issue. They may provide practical help at home, give emotional support, or look after brothers and sisters.

Young carers often take on responsibilities that would normally be carried out by an adult, and many do not realise that what they do makes them a young carer.

Our school is committed to identifying and supporting young carers so that they can enjoy school, achieve and reach their full potential. We aim to create a safe, supportive environment where pupils feel able to talk about their caring role and ask for help.

We endeavour to support young carers in a manner that is appropriate to the individual. Some young carers access ELSA or Thrive to support them in their lived experience whereas some young carers ask for no additional support. We run small groups, led by our Thrive pratitionner, for young carers over the course of the academic year.

We also support families in accessing external support: