Young Carers
Supporting children and young people that care for family members
Young carers can be found in all communities. They can often find themselves excluded from personal and social opportunities. This includes their education. All of these can impact on their development, ambitions and potential to achieve.
Children and young people who are carers have the same rights and access to the same opportunities as all children and young people. Like other children they should be able to:
- learn
- achieve
- develop friendships
- enjoy positive, healthy childhoods
Young carers tell us that they value their caring roles. They are proud of the contribution they are able to make in their families. All too often, however, children and young people become carers because someone in their family has significant unmet care needs. These may arise from ill health, disability, mental health needs or substance misuse.
In some cases young carers have assumed a level of responsibility that no child should be expected to take on. This can have serious knock-on effects on schooling and other key areas of their lives. Caring should not have an negative effect on children’s well-being and outcomes.
The review strategy highlights the great work that has been undertaken in the past five years. It also examines the areas that require continued focus such as:
- primary age support
- mental health services for young carers
- meeting increasing demand
There is a fundraising group across the Council who have have raised over £15,000 for young carers in Cornwall. This is to support young carers educational attainment.
All of the money raised goes directly to the young carers. A group of young carers manage the money. They receive applications for funding from young carers. The group decides what and how much they will fund.
Would you like to get involved in the Young Carers strategy development? Would you like to provide feedback from your experiences? If so, please email youngcarers@cornwall.gov.uk.
For further information on young carers please visit the Kernow Young Carers website or view the short film below.
Supporting children and young people that care for family members
Young carers can be found in all communities. They can often find themselves excluded from personal and social opportunities. This includes their education. All of these can impact on their development, ambitions and potential to achieve.
Continue readingChildren and young people who are carers have the same rights and access to the same opportunities as all children and young people. Like other children they should be able to:
- learn
- achieve
- develop friendships
- enjoy positive, healthy childhoods
Young carers tell us that they value their caring roles. They are proud of the contribution they are able to make in their families. All too often, however, children and young people become carers because someone in their family has significant unmet care needs. These may arise from ill health, disability, mental health needs or substance misuse.
In some cases young carers have assumed a level of responsibility that no child should be expected to take on. This can have serious knock-on effects on schooling and other key areas of their lives. Caring should not have an negative effect on children’s well-being and outcomes.
The review strategy highlights the great work that has been undertaken in the past five years. It also examines the areas that require continued focus such as:
- primary age support
- mental health services for young carers
- meeting increasing demand
There is a fundraising group across the Council who have have raised over £15,000 for young carers in Cornwall. This is to support young carers educational attainment.
All of the money raised goes directly to the young carers. A group of young carers manage the money. They receive applications for funding from young carers. The group decides what and how much they will fund.
Would you like to get involved in the Young Carers strategy development? Would you like to provide feedback from your experiences? If so, please email youngcarers@cornwall.gov.uk.
For further information on young carers please visit the Kernow Young Carers website or view the short film below.
