Camulos Academy is committed to develop provision for young carers and their families.

We will capture the commitment by widening our provision, building on the needs of the young people and better meet young carers’ needs by reviewing our provision for young carers with a view to ultimately achieving best practice.

How we will achieve this:

• The whole school is committed to meeting the needs of young carers so that they can attend and enjoy school in the same way as other pupil/students and achieve their potential.
• Appointing a designated Young Carers’ School Lead with responsibility for young carers and their families.
  Pupils and families will be made aware of the identity of this lead and how to contact them to access support.
• The school only shares information with professionals and agencies on a need to know basis in order to support pupils and their families.
• Camulos Academy will actively seek feedback and ideas from young carers and their families to shape and improve support.
• The school has an effective referral system and strong partnership in place with relevant external agencies, including referral to Young Carer agencies providing key workers who will work with young carers and families.

We will strive to achieve best practice for students and families in our school in order to provide them with the best chance of success in their future.

What is a Young Carer?

Young carers are children and young people under 18 years old who provide unpaid care to a family member who is physically or mentally ill, disabled or misuses substances.
The tasks and level of caring undertaken by young carers can vary according to the nature of the illness or disability, the level and frequency of need for care and the structure of the family as a whole.

A young carer may undertake some or all of the following:

• Practical tasks such as cooking, housework, shopping

• Physical care such as lifting, helping up the stairs and physiotherapy

• Personal Care such as dressing, washing and helping someone go to the toilet

• Emotional support such as listening, calming someone and being present

• Household management such as paying the bills, managing finances and collecting benefits

• Looking after siblings such as putting to be and walking to school

• Interpreting for parents with hearing or speech impediments or English as an additional language

• Administering medication such as insulin needles and preparing daily tablets.

Caring can involve physical or emotional care, or taking responsibility for someone’s safety or well-being. The level of responsibility assumed by a young carer is often inappropriate to their age and at a level beyond simply helping out with jobs at home, which is a normal part of growing up.

Camulos Academy pledges to:

• Identify young carers within school.

• Have members of staff with special responsibility for Young Carers

• Teach pupils about the challenges faced by young carers

• Put young carers in touch with the local Young Carer’s support services

• Provide up-to-date contact information for support services

• Respect the rights of young carers’ privacy and be sensitive to confidentiality within the classroom

• Be flexible in our approach to meeting young carers’ needs

• Provide support and advice to parents.

• Signpost families to services that can provide help and support.

If you think that your child, or a child you know of, may be a young carer, please contact the school office.