Young Carers

At Trellech we are aware that some of our pupils are young carers. A Young Carer is a child under 18 who regularly helps to look after a family member or friend who is disabled, ill, has mental ill health or addiction problem.

Children may engage in:

· Practical tasks (cooking, housework and shopping)

· Physical care (lifting or helping someone use the stairs)

· Personal care (dressing, washing, helping with toilet needs)

· Managing the family budget (collecting benefits and prescriptions)

· Managing medication

· Looking after younger siblings

· Helping someone communicate

When completing one or more of these tasks becomes a necessity, then we would classify a pupil as a young carer. Research suggests there are at least 800,000 young carers in the UK, but many do not realise they are a young carer.

We know that young carers may need a little extra support to enjoy and do well at school. At Trellech we are committed to ensuring that all pupils who are young carers are identified and supported effectively.

We can offer additional pastoral support, small group workshops and access to opportunities outside school. We link up with the local Young Carers Service to offer our pupils more support both within school and outside of school.

At Trellech we have a lead professional, Miss C Whyte (Operational Lead), who has responsibility for ensuring all young carers are able to enjoy school and make good progress. If you think your child might be a young carer, or could be affected by any of the issues we’ve highlighted, please let us know by speaking to your Operational Lead. Please contact school via phone or email and ask to speak to Miss Whyte.

Any information that is given to us will be treated sensitively and no information will be shared without your knowledge.