Overview

At Southwold Primary School, we believe that all children and young people have the right to an education regardless of their home circumstances. We acknowledge that there are likely to be young carers among our pupils and that being a young carer can have an adverse effect on a young person’s education. We have adopted our young carers policy so that we will be able to relieve some of the worries that young carers may have about home and their school work.

Who are Young Carers?

Young carers are children and young people whose lives are affected by looking after someone at home. They are carrying out tasks and responsibilities in addition to those appropriate for their age. The person they look after may have one or more of the following:

  • Physical disability.
  • Mental health issues.
  • Learning difficulties.
  • Alcohol- or drug-related problems.
  • Long-term illness.

The person they care for may be a parent, sibling, or grandparent, and the care they give may be physical and/or emotional. Young carers’ responsibilities may include:

  • Personal care (e.g. bathing, dressing, feeding).
  • Giving or prompting medication/injections.
  • Shopping.
  • Housework.
  • Emotional support.
  • Looking after younger siblings.
  • Budgeting and paying bills.

If you feel that your child may be a young carer, please feel free to get in touch to discuss the support we can put into place.