Young Carers
Our school's Young Carers Operational Leads are Mrs Scaplehorn and Mrs Parry and can be contacted via admin@woodborough.equamead.org or 01672 851305.
Who is a young carer?
Young carers are children and young people under 18 years old who provide regular and on-going care to another person who is physically or mentally ill, disabled or misuses substances.
Many young people don’t see themselves as carers and may not realise there is practical and emotional support available in Wiltshire.
You may be a young carer if you:
- care for a family member, because of illness, disability or old age
- help someone with bathing or dressing, going to the toilet or getting into/out of bed
- need to cook for your family
- look after money or organise the family budget
- help anyone to take medication regularly
- collect prescriptions or benefits on behalf of someone else or go shopping for the family
- look after brothers or sisters, by taking them to school, doing their laundry, or cooking their meals
- take care of housework, such as dusting, hoovering, washing or ironing
- speak on behalf of someone who has difficulty speaking or communicating for themselves
- translate or interpret for someone at home
The effects of being a young carer
You have responsibilities at home that prevent you from spending time with your friends, or inviting them around your house.
You feel sad, angry, guilty or embarrassed about the help you give to anyone at home.
You feel upset that friends don’t have the same responsibilities.
You avoid telling anyone outside the family about your home situation.
Where can you access the Wiltshire Young Carers Service?
Wiltshire Council's Integrated Front Door Young Carers Assessors carry out assessments of young people who care for someone else. An assessment is when an adult who works for the council gets to know the young person and the things they are dealing with to see if they need some help.
Anyone who thinks a child could be a young carer can refer the child into Wiltshire Council for a young carers' assessment.
Professionals should complete the IFD Referral Form and email to Integratedfrontdoor@wiltshire.gov.uk. Further details and a copy of the referral form can be found within our Child protection webpage.
Children and parents can self-refer into The Integrated Front Door on 0300 456 0108 or Integratedfrontdoor@wiltshire.gov.uk(opens new window)
Once the referral is received, it will be allocated to a practitioner who will contact the family and arrange a visit. The Assessment is holistic and will look at what support can be offered to the family. If the young person is deemed a young carer and their caring responsibilities are having an impact on their day-to-day lives then a referral will be made to Community First - Youth Action Wiltshire, who provide support for young carers in Wiltshire.
Further information can also be found at the council's On Your Mind website which helps young people to look after their own emotional wellbeing. It is important to let people at school know about the caring that a young person does so that they can understand and help.
Wiltshire Young Carers Service
Community First: Youth Action Wiltshire - Young Carers is the national award-winning 'youth arm' of Wiltshire based charity Community First. They work with young carers, young adult carers (aged 5 to 19), and their families in Wiltshire through a dedicated Wiltshire Young Carers Service.
Wiltshire Young Carers Service offer:
- support planning and reviews
- one-to-one mentoring and coaching programmes
- one-to-one Time to Talk sessions
- fun and developmental respite activities, such as webinars, clubs, school and college holiday programmes, workshops and residential projects
- information, advice and guidance
- supported signposting
- help with education
- skills development and nationally recognised awards
- counselling, talking therapy or family counselling from specialist partners
- opportunities to join voice groups, to inform and shape the service and wider support for young carers and young adult carers
- ASDAN accredited training to become a Peer Mentor, Young Leader or Young Listener and volunteering opportunities
- to remove barriers, providing one-to-one support through outreach and free transport to and from all face-to-face sessions
