At Barrington, we are committed to supporting the wellbeing of all our pupils and helping every child reach their full potential. 

We know that some children and young people help to care for a family member who may have a disability, long-term illness, mental health difficulty, substance misuse issue, or additional support needs. These children are known as Young Carers. 

Many young carers take on responsibilities such as helping around the home, looking after younger siblings, providing emotional support, translating, helping with medication, or supporting a family member with day-to-day tasks. While many children are proud to help their families, caring responsibilities can sometimes impact on their wellbeing, friendships, attendance, learning, or opportunities to take part in activities. 

We would like to support any young carers within our school community so that they can access the help, understanding and opportunities available to them. 

Being identified as a young carer can provide benefits such as: 

• A trusted member of staff who understands their situation

• Additional emotional support when needed 

• Opportunities to meet other young carers and take part in activities 

• Support with school life if caring responsibilities are affecting attendance, homework or wellbeing 

• Access to information about local young carer services and support networks 

We understand that some families may worry that identifying their child as a young carer could lead to judgement about their parenting or automatic involvement from other services. We would like to reassure families that this is not the purpose of our young carers programme. Identifying a child as a young carer simply helps us understand their circumstances better and ensure they receive appropriate support in school. 

If you think your child may be a young carer, or if you would like to discuss whether this support may be helpful for your family, please contact our Family Support Worker, Kerry Jamieson, who is our Young Carer Champion. 

Together, we can ensure that children who help care for others receive the recognition, understanding, and support they deserve.