More than 8,000 people under 18 years old in Cumbria are providing unpaid Carer for a family member or friend – and this Young Carers Action Day (March 13) Carer Support Cumbria is asking for a fair future for our young carers – the theme for this year’s annual event.
The theme of this year’s Action Day has come from Young Carers themselves, and focuses on building a more equal future for young Carers an removing barriers that many of their peers do not face.
Young Carers Action Day provides an opportunity for everyone to call for better support for young Carers and young adult Carers, and is organised by the Carers Trust.
Carer Support Furness will be visit Dane Ghyll School in Barrow to launch their campaign to have a Carer Champion in schools on Young Carer Action Day.
Craig Backhouse, CEO of Furness Carers said: “As many as 1-in-5 pupils in the UK are Young Carers, most of these children are caring for relatives without their teacher’s knowledge.
“Carer Champion Training will be offered to each school so they have at least one staff member who can help to identify pupils who are Young Carers, and ensure they are offered the support they are eligible for under the Children and Families & Care Act 2014.
“Following these short training sessions, Carer Champions in Schools will be confident in identifying, referring, or signposting any age Carer to Carer Support Furness for free support. Young Carers should be recognised in school as soon as possible, so they can access free support and services whenever they need it.
“Schools want to ensure all age Carers shouldn’t have to wait until their wellbeing is affected before a support is offered.”
Deb Marsden, CEO of Carer Support South Lakes said: “We are working with Lancaster University to mark Young Carers Action Day. A group of Young Carers will be visiting the university to share their experiences and to find out about the opportunities for them to continue studying after leaving school.
“We can provide a wide range of support to our Young Carers aged between 5 -18 years, which may include one-to-one support to help with their schooling, further education or family support, counselling, finance or transport issues, or group support opportunities.
“These opportunities and experiences aim to enable Young Carers to build confidence and new skills as well as have an enjoyable time.”
Sharon Sewell, CEO of Carer Support West Cumbria said: “Young Carers face a huge array of challenges as a result of their caring role.
“The Carers Trust annual young Carer survey repeatedly shows many young Carers are disadvantaged across multiple aspects of their lives, including mental and physical health, finances, education and employment. We know that caring for someone at home can have a big impact on your own education, health and social life.
“Carer Support Cumbria’s support workers across the county can provide Young Carers with someone to chat to in confidence, and through a Young Carers assessment we identify the individual Young Carers needs and can provide the information, support and advice needed. We can also ensure Young Carers are supported in school, to help with their education.”
From Spring this year (2023), young carers will be included on the school census return for the first time.
It is a year since young Carers have been included on the school census for the first time. Schools have been recording on their census who their young carers are, and whether they were identified by the school or parent.
CEO of Carer Support Carlisle and Eden, Dani Leslie said: “The addition to the school census is helping to get a much better picture of the number of young carers in schools, and also provides opportunities to use this data to monitor the attendance and attainment of young Carers.
“If young carers are not identified at an early stage, they often end up taking on inappropriate and excessive levels of caring responsibilities.
“A recent survey by the charity Caring Together found that on average Young Carers were caring for three years before receiving any support, and there were some caring for more than 10 years. This can have a significant impact on their education, health and future opportunities.”
To find out more about the services and support for Young Carers locally, contact:
· Carer Support South Lakes, Email: admin@carersupportsouthlakes.org.uk Tel: 01539 815970
· Carer Support Carlisle & Eden Email: enquiries@edencarers.co.uk Tel: 01768 890280
· Carer Support Furness Email: admin@furnesscarers.co.uk Tel: 01229 822822
· Carer Support West Cumbria Email: general@westcumbriacarers.co.uk, Tel 01900 821976
