Young Carers In Schools
Who is a young carer?
A young carer is someone under 18 who helps look after someone in their family, or a friend, who is ill, disabled, has mental health issues or misuses drugs or alcohol.
What might a young carer do?
- Practical tasks, like cooking, housework and shopping
- Physical care, such as helping someone out of bed
- Emotional support, including talking to someone who is distressed
- Personal care, such as helping someone dress
- Managing the family budget and collecting prescriptions
- Helping to give medicine
- Helping someone communicate
- Looking after brothers and sisters
Young Carers In Schools Award
Young carers often remain hidden even to their schools and it’s not unusual for some to take on huge caring roles within the family home. Where this happens school attendance and educational performance frequently suffer.
The Young Carers in Schools programme aims to provide schools with the tools and resources to support young carers and reduce these negative impacts, giving them the same access to education and future life chances as their peers.
Young Carers In Schools
Crossroads Together has entered into a long term partnership with The Carers Trust and the Children’s Society in order to support any school that wishes to deliver the Young Carers in School Programme. (YciS)
Research shows that young carers have significantly lower educational attainment at GCSE level – an average of one grade lower than their peers.
Young Carers in Schools is an England-wide initiative that helps schools to identify and support young carers. The award celebrates your school’s commitment to young carers and with the intention of;
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Giving children the best start in life
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Raising educational attainment
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Improving life chances
Implementing the YCiS programme has shown increased confidence, well-being, achievement and attainment of young carers.
Why should schools take part?
The programme enables schools to:
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- Gain national recognition for raising outcomes for young carers through the Young Carers in School Award
- Demonstrate to Ofsted that your school is meeting the needs of young carers
- Identify manageable steps to improve educational outcomes for this vulnerable pupil group – the programme breaks down the actions schools can take so that your school can prioritize what to do next
- Access additional support from Crossroads Together including advice, tools and templates
Our approach would be tailored to the needs of each individual school and we would work with nominated staff to;
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- Identify vulnerable young carers
- Put appropriate support and activities in place
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What We Offer to Schools
- Support with applying for YCiS award
- Information at assemblies
- PSHE sessions
- School drop Ins at secondary schools
- One to ones with young carers
- Support and advice to young carers
YCiS Award - Schools Supported
Bishops’ Blue Coat High School, Chester – Received Bronze in December 2018 and Silver in May 2019.
Delamere Academy – Received Bronze in December 2018.
Oaklands School, Winsford – Received Bronze in December 2019.
Moulton School, Northwich – Received Bronze in May 2019.
Shrewsbury Academy, Shropshire – Received Bronze in February 2023.
School Resources
School Referral Forms
More about the YCiS Award
Information to Download
Posters for Schools
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Young carers
“Thank you for supporting young carers. It really helps as it makes a HUGE difference; if young carers weren’t here I would feel like the odd one out for EVER. And I wouldn’t have made so many new friends”
“I have never had a day like this. BEST DAY EVER”
“We have been very impressed by what is on offer to Ellie. She seems to be very content knowing that help is there if she needs it, and is very proud to be recognised as a young carer”