Agenda item
Young Carers Strategy
Report of the Acting Strategic Director (Children and Education Services)
This report provides an overview of the refreshed Young Carers Strategy 2024-2030.
Minutes:
The Committee considered the report of the Acting Strategic Director (Children and Education Services) which provided an overview of the refreshed Young Carers Strategy 2024-2030.
Key points and themes in the report included:
- Background information;
- Pathways and safeguarding; and
- Priorities for 2024/2025.
The Committee was shown two videos, a video on the new Strategy presented by Manchester Young Carers and an animation ‘Arlo’s New Friends’ which was aimed at helping primary-age Young Carers share their experiences. The Committee welcomed Young Carers from The Barlow RC High School to the meeting.
Some of the key points and themes that arose from the Committee’s discussions were:
- To welcome the refreshed Strategy;
- Whether it was the strength of the Strategy and what was offered to Young Carers which encouraged more to come forward and had led to the rise in the number of recognised Young Carers in Manchester;
- Under-identification of Young Carers, who were likely to need support, including support with their mental health;
- Parents not wanting their children to be labelled as Young Carers, including regarding it as normal for older children to look after younger siblings and do housework;
- Young Carers’ Champions and the role of experienced Young Carers in providing peer support;
- Why 20% of schools did not have a Young Carers’ Champion;
- That Manchester Young Carers were significantly more likely than the total Manchester school population to be White British and how this could be addressed;
- Large families where more than one child had caring responsibilities;
- Ensuring that different agencies, including schools and social services, worked together to provide meaningful support; and
- The impact of being a Young Carer on young people’s education.
The Young Carers Operational Lead agreed with comments that the Young Carers Strategy and the resources being allocated to this area were likely to be encouraging more Young Carers to come forward, resulting in higher numbers. She advised that Young Carers were celebrated and a strengths-based approach was being taken, avoiding stigmatising them. In relation to parents not wanting their child to be labelled as a Young Carer, she advised that sensitive conversations were needed but that children and young people could access groups and support without accepting the label of Young Carer. She clarified that any adult who had contact with children in any role could become a Young Carers’ Champion and that peer support was a natural result of bringing Young Carers in school together.
The SEND Engagement and Young Carers Lead reported that this was a partnership approach so that, whatever organisation came into contact with children and young people, there could be someone there who had received training and could recognise that they were a Young Carer; however, she advised that there were still a lot more Young Carers who had not yet been identified so this work needed to continue.
Regarding the 20% of schools which did not have a Young Carers’ Champion, the Young Carers Operational Lead advised that these were schools which her team had not yet had chance to work with on this but that every school which had been engaged with had responded positively. In response to comments about the demographic of identified Young Carers, she reported that work was taking place across the city and that, as well, as most schools being involved, anyone receiving funding from the Council for youth and play service or half-term activities was required to have an awareness and understanding of Young Carers; however, she recognised that there were barriers for some communities and advised that this was covered in the training. She outlined how awareness and training on Young Carers was being rolled out to a range of agencies, such as libraries, childminders, doctors’ surgeries, museums, football clubs and charities. She advised that the Strategy focussed on identifying Young Carers at an early stage, whatever the extent of their caring responsibilities, having discussions with and supporting them, including on self-care and mental health, and, through this early intervention, preventing negative impact from caring responsibilities.
In response to a Member’s question about the Young Carers My Plan, a teacher from The Barlow RC High School reported that, when the new version had been introduced the previous year, it had been prioritised for pupils who would be transitioning from Year 11 to Year 12, as it was a particularly useful document at transition points; however, she advised that it would be rolled out across all the different year groups this year.
In response to a question from the Executive Member for Early Years, Children and Young People, Young Carers from The Barlow said that they would like lunchtime activities to be more than the current twice a week, training for the community and for people to understand the experiences of young carers in the community and school. A Young Carer said that it was good that they knew who to go to in school for support and that Young Carers had a voice at their school.
The Executive Member for Early Years, Children and Young People advised that a framework was needed across Greater Manchester and that she would be taking this forward, commenting that a national framework would also be beneficial. She stated that places of worship should be engaged with and that she would be discussing Young Carers with the Youth and Play Team. She advised that a lot of Members were School Governors and could support engagement with the 20% of schools which were not already involved in this work. She highlighted the importance of the integration of Children’s and Adults Services.
The SEND Engagement and Young Carers Lead advised that there was a risk that being a Young Carer could impact on children’s educational outcomes and that this was why the work was taking place to identify Young Carers at an early stage and enable schools to work with families to make sure the right support was in place so that it did not impact on their education.
The Chair thanked the Young Carers for attending the meeting and praised the amazing work they were doing.
Decisions
- To recommend a Greater Manchester Framework for Young Carers.
- To recommend that faith groups be engaged with in relation to Young Carers.
- To welcome that the Executive Member for Early Years, Children and Young People will be meeting with the Youth and Play Team in relation to this work.
- To request a list of the 20% of schools which do not yet have a Young Carers’ Champion and that Members who are School Governors should raise this with their schools.
Supporting documents:
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Young Carers 2024, item 47.
PDF 108 KB
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Appendix 1 - Young Carers Schools Census data 2024, item 47.
PDF 139 KB
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Appendix 2 - Young Carers Strategy 2024 refresh, item 47.
PDF 581 KB