Skip to content ↓
John Ray Infant School

John RayInfant School

Young Carers

 

John Ray Infant School has been working towards the Bronze Award which is a whole school approach to identifying childrens that are young carers and to make sure that they don’t miss out on an education.

Working towards the award, John Ray Infant school has demonstrated that it supports young carers in many ways, including the opportunity to speak to a staff member responsible for this vulnerable group of childrens. There is a drop in once a week for childrens to have the opportunity to do this.

We also have an Early Bird Breakfast Club which is for vulnerable children.  We have 30 places available and the aim of our breakfast club is that it enables children to have a more positive start to their day, with the opportunity to make friends and socialise and play games after breakfast with members of staff.  

Vital information about how to identify young carers is made available to all school staff, and noticeboards and the school webpage let childrens and their families know where to go for help.

The Young Carers in Schools programme helps primary and secondary schools improve outcomes for young carers and celebrates good practice through the Young Carers in School Award.

 

(Young cares logo)

John Ray Infant School is committed to developing provision for young carers and their families.

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

How we will achieve this:

  1. 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 children and achieve their potential.
  2. Appointing a designated Young Carers’ School Lead with responsibility for young carers and their families.  Childrens and families will be made aware of the identity of this lead and how to contact them to access support.
  3. The school only shares information with professionals and agencies on a need to know basis in order to shape and improve support.
  4. The school has an effective referral system and strong partnership in place with relevant external agencies, including referral to Young Carer agencies that provide key workers who will work with young carers and their families.

We aim to achieve best practice for childrens and families in our school in order to provide them with the best possible chance of success in their future.

If you think your child may be a young carer and would benefit from some extra support in school because of some of the issues we have highlighted please contact Mrs Mills and Mrs Preston via the school office.

Your designated Young Career leads in school can help support with getting in contact with Essex County Council’s Young Carers team who designate key workers to help young carers and their families.  They can work alongside schools to ensure enough is put in place to help young carers and all aspects of theirs and their family’s lives.

If you require more information visit:

https://www.essex.gov.uk/Health-Social-Care/Families-andchildrens-social-care/Essex-Young-Carers

Address:

Essex Young Carers

POBx 47

C326 County Hall

Essex CM2 6WN

Or email: young.carers@essex.gov.uk.

Young Carers are responsible for emotional, practical or physical care for a parent, sibling or other family member who has a physical disability, mental health issue or substance misuse issue.  The 2011 Census statistics revealed that there are just over 166,000 young carers in England, as young as 4, but research reveals that this is just the tip of the iceberg.  The true figure could be closer to 700,000 young carers in England, equivalent to one in 12 school children many of whom are unrecognised and unsupported.

Research carried out by Carers Trust and the Children’s Society shows that, on average, young careers miss out or cut short 48 school days a year and often have lower levels of self-confidence, mental wellbeing and significantly lower educational attainment at GCSE level, because of their caring role. Ofsted’s Common Inspection Framework states that inspectors will look at how well schools support young carers. While some schools are doing this really well, others struggle and this causes real problems for young carers.

To help schools support young carers the programme offers a step-by-step guide for leaders, teachers and non teaching staff, with practical tools designed to make it as easy as possible for schools.  Staff can receive training through webinars and events and the programme also features a newsletter each term highlighting relevant policy developments, spotlighting good practice and giving updates on the programme’s successes.

The programme is open to all schools in England and to sign up schools just need to visit www.youngcarersinschools.com