Young Carers at Mascalls Academy

What is a Young Carer?

A young carer is a child or young person, typically under the age of 18, who provides significant care and support to a family member or close friend with a physical or mental illness, disability, addiction, or other long-term health condition. This care can involve tasks such as helping with personal care, household chores, managing medical needs, or offering emotional support. Young carers often take on these responsibilities at a time when they should be focused on their education, social activities, and personal growth. As a result, the demands of caregiving can affect their well-being, mental health, social life, and academic performance.

At Mascalls Academy, we recognize the challenges young carers face and offer dedicated support within the school to help them manage their responsibilities. We provide a safe space where these students can access guidance, understanding, and resources to balance their caregiving role with their education. Additionally, we have links to external services and further support, ensuring that young carers and their families have access to the help they need both inside and outside of school.

Who do young carers look after and why

Young carers look after someone either a family member or a friend who has:

A short-term or chronic illness or disability, such as a person with cancer or who recently underwent an operation.
A permanent physical or mental disability, such as impaired mobility or Down’s syndrome.
A mental health issue, such as depression, schizophrenia, or dementia.
An addiction, particularly to drugs or alcohol.

Examples of typical things Young Carers may have to do at home…

The support that young carers may provide can include a wide range of tasks, such as:

Household chores: This can involve cleaning, shopping, cooking, laundry, and other domestic responsibilities.
Physical care: Young carers may assist with moving the person they care for between rooms, helping them go upstairs, or assisting with getting in and out of bed.
Personal care: They may help with bathing, dressing, eating, drinking, using the bathroom, and taking medication.
Emotional support: This could involve offering a listening ear, talking to the person, and helping to keep them calm during stressful situations, such as medical appointments.
Organisational and management tasks: These may include handling finances, sorting bills, collecting prescriptions, managing benefits, and arranging medical appointments.
Assisting with communication: If the person being cared for has limited speech or requires a translator, the young carer may help facilitate communication.
Caring for siblings: When a parent requires significant care, the young carer may also take on the responsibility of looking after younger siblings. This could involve tasks such as taking them to school, preparing meals, and putting them to bed.

The effects on a young carer

They have responsibilities at home that make it difficult for them to spend time with friends or invite them over. They may feel sad, angry, guilty, or embarrassed about the help they provide to their family. It can also upset them that their friends don’t seem to have the same responsibilities. As a result, they might avoid sharing their home situation with anyone outside the family.

What do we offer to our Young Carers at Mascalls Academy

At Mascalls Academy, we offer a safe and supportive space for young carers to express their feelings without fear of judgment. The Young Carers Team, led by Mrs. Alldridge, includes Mrs. Saxby, and Mrs. Fowler, are here to provide guidance and support. We meet on Wednesday of week two during advisory, where young carers can talk through their emotions, share their experiences, and get the help they need to manage their responsibilities.

In addition to offering emotional support, we organize fun activities where young carers can connect with others in similar situations, helping them build friendships and feel less isolated. We also provide a space to discuss any worries or concerns they may have about school life, whether it’s related to their studies, friendships, or balancing their caregiving role with their education.

To ensure the best possible support for each child, we also work closely with external agencies, such as Imago, to provide additional resources and guidance. As well as Place2Be and the Mental Health Wellbeing Team here at school. Whether it’s offering a listening ear, providing practical advice, or connecting students with further support, we are here to help every step of the way. Our goal is to ensure that young carers feel understood, valued, and supported in all aspects of their lives.

How to access this support for myself or a child

If you believe that you or a child you know would benefit from support, please email the young carers champions, Mrs Alldridge, Mrs Saxby and Mrs Fowler:

youngcarers@mascallsacademy.org.uk

Examples of external agencies we work alongside

Imago

https://www.imago.community/Children-and-Young-People/Kent-Young-Carers

Kent Young Carers (KYC) is the service provider for Young Carers aged 5-18 across Kent (excluding Medway). Young Carers are taking on caring responsibilities for a family member with a long-term illness, disability, mental health or substance misuse issue.

KYC works with schools, communities, and statutory and voluntary agencies to identify hidden young carers. Following assessment, KYC offers a range of short-term interventions including signposting, one-to-one support, in-school support and workshops.

KYC also offer training and information to professionals.

For further information please contact the KYC Hub: