Young Carers

What is a Young Carer?

A Young Carer is a child under 18 who regularly helps to look after a family member or friend who is disabled, ill, has a mental health condition or addiction problem. Children may engage in:

Practical tasks (cooking, housework and shopping)
Physical care (lifting or helping someone use the stairs)
Personal care (dressing, washing, helping with toilet needs)
Managing the family budget (collecting benefits and prescriptions)
Managing medication
Looking after younger siblings
Helping someone communicate

Courtwood can support young carers. If you, or a family member, need support please contact Mrs Cook or Miss Stawman. All contact will be treated in the strictest confidence.

Contact details

Parents can email Jo Stawman and Clare Cook directly on the young carers email address: youngcarers@courtwood.croydon.sch.uk

Parents & children can also contact us using the Young Carers Message Box in the school library.

Roles and Responsibilities

Miss Jo Stawman – Young Carers School Strategic Lead

Mrs Clare Cook – Young Carers School Operational Lead
Mrs Jane McCormack – Nurture Support
Mrs Sarah Worboys – Nurture Support
Anya Destiney – Off the Record Education Worker

Support offered at Courtwood

Support we can offer Young Carers and their families in school is:

A flexible approach for homework deadlines.
Use of timeout card if upset or angry.
A fun lunchtime club where children can come and spend time with other young carers and Anya, talking, eating lunch, playing games and doing creative activities. This is also a space where you can let us know what else we can do to help you. Wednesday from 12.15 – 1pm in the Nurture Room
Homework clubs: After school on Monday 3.20 – 4.20pm (please note there is a charge for this club). Lunchtime on Friday between 12.40 – 1.10pm
Managing transition to secondary school.
Having a flexible approach to parents’ evening and meeting appointment times.
Referral to School Nursing Team if necessary.
We work with outside agencies to help support families.

Further Help & Support

Further information which may help you and your family access further support such as trips and activities can be found via the following :

Carers Information Service : www.carersinfo.org.uk/

Off the Record Young Carers Project : www.talkofftherecord.org/croydon/young-carers-service/

The Carers Trust : www.carers.org

Babble : www.skybadger.co.uk/counselling-support/babble-carers/

Whole School Commitment for Young Carers

Courtwood Primary School is committed to meeting the needs of young carers so that they can attend and enjoy school in the same way as other pupils/students and achieve their potential.

Miss Stawman is the designated Young Carers’ School Lead and Mrs Cook is the School Operational Lead with responsibility for young carers and their families. Pupils and families are aware of the identity of these leads and can find further information on the school noticeboard and in newsletters. Their role is to develop and maintain the support for young carers at Courtwood, including identification and support for their families. Mrs Worboys and Mrs McCormack provide support directly to young carers at Courtwood.

The school only shares information with professionals and agencies on a need to know basis in order to support pupils and their families.

We welcome feedback and ideas from young carers and their families to shape and improve our support.

We use Pupil Premium funding to minimize any barriers to education and learning experienced by eligible young carers.

The school has an effective referral system and strong partnership in place with relevant external agencies, including the school nursing team and the local young carers’ service.