Young Carers
will tell you things that are going on at home which will help identify their caring role. At Harpur Mount we take the view that it is important to understand the reasons behind why children might be late, have not done their homework, or why they are not attaining what they are capable of. We are putting structures in place to try and help identifi cation and
with the support we offer young carers, giving them more confi dence and making sure parents feel more supported. We have recently been awarded the Leading Parent Partnership Award
which highlights our commitment to working with parents. It is a national award that provides a coherent framework through which schools can deliver effective parental engagement. Our work with marginalised parents, such as those of young carers, is part of this approach.
“Kevin was struggling in school due to the problems he faced in his home life. His mum’s mental health issues were having an impact on his schooling. His attendance was not as good as it should have been”
We are in the process of becoming an academy school from January
2013 and so we are rewriting all our policies which will include support for young carers. In the interim period we are making our attendance offi cer aware that some children may need to come in late without it negatively affecting their attendance. We also do home visits to engage with parents. Staff are being made
more aware of young carers, and when we identify a young carer the class teacher will be informed of things to be mindful of. In addition, we have incorporated young carer awareness into our safeguarding training, so class teachers can also help us by looking out for identifying characteristics so we can follow this up with parents and meet with them to check if the family needs extra support.
Play-tec Solutions Ltd healthy challenges,
This safeguarding training has been a valuable tool for staff, and for
raising awareness of young carers in general. Making the connection between a parent with mental health problems, for example, and a child coming to school late or being a bit upset is vital in understanding the needs of young carers. Class teachers are able to help us identify young carers by the issues they
present. For instance, one girl was identifi ed because she would come into school and her clothes would not be ironed and were not washed everyday. When we spoke to her, we found that she was doing all the washing herself as part of her caring role. For primary children, one of the key points in their school lives is the
transition to secondary school. For young carers this can be even more daunting because they might go from a small school where they only have to disclose their caring role to one member of staff to a large secondary school with lots of different teachers and a more pressured environment. We support all our pupils through transition but young carers get
particular attention. Our children spend a whole week at their feeder school and I will meet with the school’s safeguarding offi cer and highlight any issues and identify young carers so that the secondary school is aware that they might have additional needs. I will tell them what support young carers have received already so that they can continue with this. Harpur Mount is committed to making young carers feel just as
important as every other child. These are just some of the measures we have put in place by working with our local young carers service. If you are interested in improving services for young carers in your school, your local young carers service is a good place to start. There is also lots of information online. Supporting young carers in school means we can help all children achieve their full potential.
• Michelle Dale is safeguarding and equality champion at Harpur Mount Primary School in north Manchester.
Further information Family Action works with 45,000 children and families a year, providing practical, emotional and fi nancial support. For more about its work in schools and its Be Bothered! campaign to raise awareness of young carers in school, visit
www.family-action.org.uk/bebothered
What we do...
It takes experience, knowledge and understanding to de- sign a bespoke and imaginative play area that will provide a stimulating and educational environment for children – all within a prescribed brief and budget.
Children learn best by doing – outdoor play space offers as much opportunity for active learning as they have indoors. Each of our play areas are unique and designed following close consultation with the school or nursery, and each area is full of wonderful things for children to experiment, discover and explore.
From £7,500 installed
Bespoke play areas for
schools, sure start centres and nurseries
Outdoor class room from £4,999 installed
All prices + vat putting adventure into the outdoors! Unique, fun, functional Teepee from £5,199
We help fulfil the outdoor curriculum by designing areas that are planned in response to children’s interests. They provide opportunities for quiet play as well as active play, plus promote active learning through hands-on exploration. Bringing innovation and ideas to life creating fabulous yet functional play areas that you will love to take a lesson in and the kids will love it to!
A complete service:
- Free Initial design consultation - Plans
- CAD drawings - Fixed price costing’s - Construction
- Maintenance and after care
If you would like something designed with a little moreWOW factor, contact us on: 01293 862309 / 01293 229123 E:
info@play-tecsolutions.co.uk W:
www.play-tecsolutions.co.uk
01293 229123 / 07748 640324
Play-Tec Solutions Ltd, Unit 8&9, Nutley Dean Farm, Smalls Hill Road, Norwood Hill Horley, Surrey, RH6 0HR
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