Young Carers
Gofalwyr Ifanc
At St. Mary's primary school we are aware that some of our pupils are young carers. A Young Carer is a child under 18 who regularly helps to look after a family member or friend who is disabled, ill, has mental ill health or addiction problem.
Children may engage in:
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Practical tasks (cooking, housework and shopping)
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Physical care (lifting or helping someone use the stairs)
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Personal care (dressing, washing, helping with toilet needs)
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Managing the family budget (collecting benefits and prescriptions)
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Managing medication
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Looking after younger siblings
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Helping someone communicate
When completing one or more of these tasks becomes a necessity, then we would classify a pupil as a young carer. Research suggests there are at least 800,000 young carers in the UK but many do not realise they are a young carer.
Support for Young Carers
Cymorth i ofalwyr ifanc
We know that young carers may need a little extra support to enjoy and do well at school. At St. Mary's Primary we are committed to ensuring that all pupils who are young carers are identified, and supported effectively. We can offer additional pastoral support, small group workshops and access to opportunities outside school. We link up with the local Young Carers Service to offer our pupils more support both within school and outside of school.
At St. Mary's RC primary we have a two lead professionals, Miss Reece and Mrs Stevenson, who have responsibility for ensuring all young carers are able to enjoy school and make good progress. If you think your child might be a young carer, or could be affected by any of the issues we’ve highlighted, please let us know by speaking to Miss Reece or Mrs Stevenson. Alternatively please contact school on 01291 623006 or stmarysprimary@monmouthshire.gov.uk.
Any information that is given to us will be treated sensitively and no information will be shared without your knowledge.
For more support and advice about Young Carers please visit the Monmouthshire County Council website by clicking the following link. Young Carers - Monmouthshire
