Supporting Young Carers in Primary School
How To Receive A Schools Award
Our annual schools awards ensure that schools are providing continuous support to their young carers. Your school can receive an award by evidencing the following within an academic year:
- A commitment to recognising and recording young carers within the school
With an average of 1 in 5 students being a young carer, there is no doubt that you have young carers in your school. See How to identify a young carer.
- Having a named ‘Young Carers Champion’ and a deputy (a DSL or assistant head to be appointed to one of these roles)
A ‘Schools Project Agreement’ will need to be completed to formalise who your carers champions are.
- Holding a ‘Young Carers Awareness Session’ within the staff team
Identifying young carers is crucial to the success of supporting young carers. Our schools workers will support the carers champion to deliver an awareness session to your staff.
- Raising awareness of ‘Young Carers Action Day’ – a national day, held in March, celebrating young carers
Every year the Carers Trust selects a theme that recognises and celebrates young carers. Your school should celebrate this day in as many ways as possible, such as sharing Carers Bucks’ social media posts.
- A commitment to developing and delivering half termly support groups (as a minimum)
Once you have a named ‘Young Carers Champion’ and have identified young carers within your school, Carers Bucks’ staff will help establish your very own schools group. Our schools workers will help deliver three sessions to your group alongside the carers champion. This is an opportunity to observe and learn how to run an engaging and successful group. For information on what the three sessions will include, see Young Carers Groups in Schools.
Carers Bucks aims to celebrate your schools achievements with an invitation to our annual schools awards ceremony. Read about our Young Carers in Schools Awards 2023.
Targeted Support Sessions For Young Carers School Groups
Carers Bucks can offer established young carers groups the opportunity to take part in focused targeted support sessions. Carers Bucks’ support workers will deliver these alongside ‘Young Carers Champions’. All sessions include fun group activities that promote sharing of experiences, acknowledging feelings, model coping strategies and enhancing knowledge.
AUTUMN TERM
Options
Three sessions over a half term or term
Content
Sibling Carers workshop – Focuses on the impact of being a carer for a sibling
or
Parent Carers workshop – Focuses on the impact of being a carer for a parent
SPRING TERM
Options
Three sessions over a half term or term
Content
Young Carers Wellness workshops – Focuses on encouraging young carers to look after their own wellbeing whilst in a caring role.
SUMMER TERM
Options
One session
Content
Transition workshops – Focuses on the transition from primary to secondary/ or from secondary to further education/employment as a young carer.
If you are interested in us delivering these sessions or finding out more information, please contact us via email or speak to the schools worker that you are already in contact with. The amount of sessions we are able to run are limited so please get in contact to avoid disappointment.
Could Your School Benefit From Any Of These?
If your school is interested in working with Carers Bucks to support your young carers, please email us or complete the expression of interest form and one of our team will contact you.
