Inside this issueThe Y Factor

James scores the winnerAYCPlus Your Future Support Service

Schools CouncilsLCC Children’s Celebration Service

Carers Week 2010Grow a Grass Head Monster

New Staff MemberAsk the Experts

Wrangle Primary School PresentationPutting People FirstAYC does London!

Sitting Services - Market Place - Giving Carers a Break

Flower BookmarkGrantham Youth Group

Filmstars WantedEast Lindsey District Council Young

People’s AwardsFocus on Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue

JokesBrain teasers!

Facebook groupA-Z Conditions - C

Have Your SayCoastal Carers Fun Day

Funding Update

AYCPlus is a service which is funded by Lincolnshire County Council to support young adult carers up to the age of 25. We provide similar things to AYC, like 1:1 support, advocacy, information giving and awareness raising. We also do activities such as bowling, cinema, meals out and we have been to London to see a show. We are always looking for ideas from our young adult carers and try to get them involved as much as possible.

If you would like more information please feel free to call Emily or Amber, or speak to your support worker. Tel: 01205 358834

The ‘Y’ Factor We did it!!

AYCPlus Your Future Support Service

Yes we held the first (of many) Young Carers Talent Show. The Y Factor took place on a very cold day in the February half-term at Fantasy Island, Ingoldmells. Whilst the room was not over warm, the audience were cool and the entertainers were on fire!!

Fifteen acts entertained us, with guest appearences from Bishop Grosseteste samba band, The Brit Chicks and Peter Duxbury (Director of Lincolnshire County Council Children’s Services). Everybody warmed up with a great meal of Burger and Chips before heading home.

Are you a young carer with talent? If so, watch out for the next Y Factor Talent Show!

Dear AYCI did the talent show and sang. I was very nervous I really enjoyed it. The crowd was cheering and I could only see the front row. It was fab.

Zara-Lee

The Y Factor was so cool, I enjoyed myself. At first I was scared then I overcame my fears of being on stage so I went for it and I’m pleased I did it. Also I may not have been my best but I enjoyed it so I didn’t care. Thank you for a brilliant day. I couldn’t have done it without the AYC staff. Anyway I played the violin. I never played it out so this was the first.

Thank you AYC By Chloe

Issue 3 Spring 2010

Walking Forwards Together

LincolnshireYoung CarersNewsletter

James scores the winner!

Hi Guys! A bit of exciting news for raising the profile of young carers!

ASDA asked AYC, (along with four other charities) to nominate

outstanding young people we think deserved the fantastic prize of a trip to South Africa to watch the World Cup! The trip included an all expenses paid flight/accommodation/spending money along with the tickets, and this is an opportunity the support workers just could not pass up!

Many of you were entered into the draw and ASDA decided that one of our Young Carers told a fantastic and deserving story and so James Dalzell was chosen to receive this opportunity of a lifetime!! ASDA came along to one of our Youth Club nights in Sleaford to surprise James and the other Young Carers and also issued AYC with a Wii console and FIFA Game for being such a fantastic organisation!

I think James has gotten over the shock now, but we have asked him to document his trip so he can publish something in the next newsletter, look out for the next one to see how he got on!!

Have a great time James!!! Amy

Schools CouncilsJust so that you guys are all aware, we have recently sent out a flyer to all school councils in all schools throughout the county. This is to explain to them what a young carer is and the kind of support that they need in school. The aim is for them to see what their school is doing to support young carers. If their school isn’t doing anything for young carers then we have offered to go and speak at their meetings to see if they think it is something their school should be doing. The challenge for you guys is to speak to your year reps on the councils to see if they have recieved this flyer and what they are doing about it.

We know how you like to help each other out with any issues or concerns you may have so here’s another way how:

We have a panel of young carers who will between them issue a reply to any problem you send them. Even if you don’t want to do what the answer says, it is sometimes nice just to get others’ viewpoints. Remember, a problem shared is a problem halved.Just send your problem to ayc@carersfederation.co.uk

Dear AYC Ask the Experts,I look after my mum who has MS. My Dad left us a couple of years ago so there is just me and Mum now. My mum has good and bad days. On a good day she manages to get herself up and dressed and have a shower. On these days she also manages to cook nice

meals and stuff. She’s a great cook and taught me well.

On really bad days she can’t even get out of bed so I have to do everything. I cook and clean up and help her to get dressed if she needs it. Some days she can’t get to the toilet and I have to help her get on and off the toilet. I might have to help her get out of the shower some days as well.

I really enjoy cooking and don’t mind making her cups of tea and me and mum get on really well but I wish I didn’t have to help her with the gross stuff, I think she finds it just as hard too. Is there anyone who can help with this stuff.Male Young Carer (Aged 14years)

Dear Young Carer I’m sorry to hear about your mum. I think that the jobs that you decribe in your letter

as the “gross stuff” are what the government terms inappropriate care, basically a job that you shouldn’t have to be doing. I think the best thing to do would be to get your mum to look at direct payments. These are payments provided by the government to hire a carer for your mum for a few hours a week. This would cut the jobs that you should have to do when your mum is ill. To find out how to get them i would get your mum to speak to the Citizens Advice Bureau or Penderels Trust.Best Wishes, Charlie.

Citizens Advice Bureau – 08444 994199Penderels Trust – 01522 529300

You can also contact the Carers Team or Adult Social Care for more information.

Carers Team – 01522 782224Adult Social Care – 01522 782155

Ask the Experts

Grow A Grass Head Monster

You will need:A nylon sock or a foot from tights or a stocking.Grass seedSawdustElastic bandOld yogurt potGoogly eyesPaper, buttons, ribbon etc to decorate

Instructions:Fill the toe of your sock with grass seed. Top up with sawdust until you have a ball shape. Fasten tightly with the elastic band.

Decorate the yogurt pot as the body using, paper, ribbon, and whatever else you can find in your craft box!

Stand the stocking ball in the pot with the grass seed at the top. Add some eyes and any other decorative bits you like.

Keep the yogurt pot topped up with water. After a few weeks your head should grow hair!

On Sunday 7th February, Helen and I attended the Lincolnshire County Council Children’s Celebration Service held at St. Botolph’s Church (The Stump). The Theme was Talent! School children joined local dignitaries in a celebration of educational achievements. The annual event treated guests to performances from various age ranges or children/young people – St. Thomas’ Church of England Primary School performed two songs – ‘Leave Them A Flower’ and ‘Gospel Medley’. John Fielding Community Special School performed a stunning dance ‘You’re Beautiful’ by James Blunt. Haven High Technology College performed a dramatic presentation of The Parable of Talents by Gordon Lamont.

Two absolutely amazing performances were given by the Lincolnshire Youth Symphony Orchestra conducted by Nigel Morley. They played pieces from Tchaikovsky’s Symphony Number 5 - The First and Second movement. They also accompanied all three hymns. One of which nobody could get right.

The reading was read by a representative from Lincolnshire Children’s Services. It was taken from the book of Matthew. The address was given by the Vicar of Boston - Revd. Canon Robin Whitehead. The prayers were led by a representative from the Lincolnshire Youth Cabinet.

To sum up, I thought the event was an extreme pleasure to attend and that more young people should attend. Not just to represent their school or youth group but to represent themselves. It was a thrilling time and one that will certainly get more publicity.

Nathan Bryant

LCC Children’s Celebration Service

This year’s national Carers Week will run from 14-20 June. The theme for this year is “a life of my own.”

Lots of events and activities will be taking place across the country to help raise awareness of carers and celebrate their role.

Let us know if you are planning anything special in your area.

Hi there! My name is Sonia Raymond and I have been working for AYC since January. Before I had my 3 children (I know, sucker for punishment!)

I worked as a carer myself for vulnerable young adults/elderly in the community. Then I became a trustee for my local pre-school when my children were small and volunteered then for 3 years. I have had various jobs in-between, but none of them ever felt ‘right’ and I know my niche is definitely working with children. Things I love are children (of course!), board games, flowers, crafts, and the beach.Things I hate are cheese, being late, and rainy days when I can’t get out!!!

Carers Week 2010

New Staff member

Great news - we have been commissioned to make two dvds as a result of a young carers’ partnership meeting with members of staff from adult social care.

The first dvd will be by young carers for young carers, and will look at what services are available to you all, including a look at personal budgets and direct payments.

The second dvd is to be aimed at raising awareness of young carer’s issues amongst health and social care professionals.

If you would like to influence what goes in the dvds or to have a starring role please let us know asap. Please call AYC on 01205 358834

Do you live in the Grantham area and would you like to meet up with other young carers, chill out or do some fun stuff? There is a group that meets in Grantham on a Monday every 2 weeks and we’d love to meet you. If you need transport to get there, that’s not a problem so either email e.moreton@carersfederation.co.uk, or call the office number and we’ll sort something out. Cherry and I look forward to meeting you!! Please call AYC on 01205 358834

Childrens & Adults Social Care are working together to form a list of suitable agencies of sitting type services for carers & the cared for, to select and choose an agency to look after the person they are caring for, to give the carer a short break.

Carers have been involved in the development of this project and have said what is important to them when choosing a sitter to look after their loved one. Carers will select and decide which agency meets with their approval...... this is called accreditation. Carers will carry out some mystery shopping to check out these providers are doing what they say they would, and carers will give their seal of approval, or not!!!

If you cant make it but want to be involved and learn more send your ideas to Judith Alloway, Carers Partnership, judith.alloway@lincolnshire.gov.uk Telephone: 01522 554214.

Thanks very much By Judith Alloway

In December 2007, a new idea for supporting adults in the social care system was born. Its title: ‘Putting People First’.

The really important thing about this new programme is that it gives adults and their carers real choice and control over the way they are supported. The programme aims to make sure all services involved with adults and their carers work TOGETHER and listen to what individuals want.

This service aims to start to support people as soon as they need help. It’s about making sure people can live their own life as they wish to.

For more information, contact the Putting People First team on 01522 554094.

Filmstars Wanted

Grantham Youth Group

Sitting Services - Market Place Giving Carers a Break

Putting People First

Flower bookmarkYou will need:CardYellow and white paint

Instructions:Cut out a rectangle from your card. Cut little snips along each end to form a fringe. Down the length of the card print 3 yellow finger prints. Around each yellow finger print, print a circle of white petals. Easy, but very pretty!

In January, 8 sibling young carers and 3 staff members braved the icy conditions and travelled to London for a fun filled weekend.The young carers had met 3 times previously in order to get to know each other and choose and plan what they wanted to do whilst there.

On arrival at Grantham train station we had a hot chocolate to see us on our way and boarded the train full of excitement. Our youth hostel was fab – a girls room, a boys room and staff sandwiched in the middle. Emily even managed to fit in the cupboard!

Saturday came and we visited the London Aquarium (Bev with hood up as she doesn’t do fish!), Oxford Street, Hamleys, Covent Garden street entertainers and finally the brilliant Cirque de Soleil – a fantastic show at the Royal Albert Hall of brilliant acrobatics. The staff were too scared to watch at some points!

Sunday saw us ride on the London Eye and the Duck tour – a bus that turns into a boat when it hits water, and then sadly head back to Kings Cross for home. After a slight complication with the train tickets we were even upgraded to travel first class. A perfect end to the adventure.

Over the weekend we had many firsts – trains, undergrounds, buses, boats, shows, shops. In fact everything was just a fantastic experience for everyone involved. The young carers had a great break from home and all reported growing in confidence and self esteem.

AYC does London!

We would like to say a very big Thankyou to Wrangle Primary School. On 25th Feb Helen and myself were invited to join them for an assembly where they presented us with a cheque

for £97.64 which they had raised during their harvest festival. We explained about young carers and the work we do in schools and how this money will help some of our young carers. By Rachel, Education Liaison Worker

Wrangle Primary School Presentation

Did you know.... That AYC has a Facebook Page?! We currently have about 50 members and we know a lot more of you are on there so why not join us! You can search for the group on your own or add one of AYC workers as a friend. Why not ask a worker that you have contact with if you can add them as a friend? Or you can add me, (Amy Briggs) or Emily Jarvis and we will invite you to join the group. Its a really great way for us all to keep in touch, lots of information is put on there about what were up to! A

Facebook group

When we think of Fire and Rescue, most of us imagine firefighters rescuing people. However, there is another side to Fire and Rescue. The Community Fire Safety team try to stop the fires starting in the first place.

Community Fire Safety is not about putting fires out. They visit people in their homes and make sure they are as safe as they can be. It does not cost anything to have them come round and visit you. They make sure that smoke alarms work properly, and help people make an escape plan for their whole family. They can even fit smoke alarms for free if needed.

So what is an escape plan? Well, if there is a fire everybody in the house needs to know what they would do. Being safe in an emergency could be getting out of the house, or staying in a particular room until the fire fighters get there.

Fire and Rescue can come and visit your house if you ask them. They will make sure you have working smoke alarms. If you haven’t they’ll fit you some for free. Then they will talk about an escape plan if there is a fire. An adult needs to arrange the visit. You can either fill in the slip at the bottom of the page, ring them on 01522 582222, or have a word with your support worker.

YES I/We would like a FREE Home Fire Safety Check

NO I/We do not require a FREE Home Fire Safety Check

I/We have already had a FREE Home Fire Safety Check

Quote Reference: MF10

Please send to: Community Fire Safety Dept., Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Headquarters, FREEPOST NEA 15250, Lincoln, LN5 8EL (NO STAMP NEEDED)

By Mark Fowell Community Fire Safety Advocate

Name:

Address:

Post Code: Telephone:

Parent/Guardian signature

Focus on Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue

East Lindsey District Council Young People’s Awards

Jokes

Brain teasers!

A fantastic night was held at the Embassy Centre on Sunday 28th March to celebrate the achievements of young people in different categories across East Lindsey.

Action for Young Carers had eight people nominated for an award. They were Francis Humphrey, Curtis Jackson, Nicole Percival, Tiffany Boot, Charlotte Stanley, Lauren Williams, Bethany Robinson and Viv Litchfield.

Such was the difficulty in choosing one young carer the panel decided, quite rightly, that they should all receive an award in recognition of what they do. The awards were met with a standing ovation by the watching audience (Lesley, Helen and Tricia all had tears in their eyes).Well done guys, you did us proud!

Francis said “I thought that the award night was amazing and i was very shocked when we found out that all 8 of us was getting the award.”

Knock KnockWho’s there !B-4 !B-4 who ?B-4 I freeze to death, please open this door !

Who’s there !Boo !Boo who ?Don’t cry it’s only a joke !

What happened to the shark who swallowed a bunch of keys ?

He got lockjaw !

What did one wall say to the other?“I’ll meet you at the corner.”

What do you call a man who wears tissue paper trousers ?Russell !

If you have any better jokes to share with us and other young carers please email them to us at the Office in time for the next edition.

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THINKING

What Is Cancer?Cancer is all to do with cells. Cells are the very small units that make up all living things, including the human body. There are billions of cells in each person’s body.

Cancer happens when cells that are not normal grow and spread very fast. Normal body cells grow and divide and know to stop growing. Over time, they also die. Unlike these normal cells, cancer cells just continue to grow and divide out of control and don’t die when they’re supposed to.

Cancer cells usually group or clump together to form tumors. A growing tumor becomes a lump of cancer cells that can destroy the normal cells around the tumor and damage the body’s healthy tissues. This can make someone very sick.

Sometimes cancer cells break away from the original tumor and travel to other areas of the body, where they keep growing and can go on to form new tumors. This is how cancer spreads. The spread of a tumor to a new place in the body is called metastasis.

Causes of CancerDoctors aren’t sure why some people get cancer and others don’t. They do know that cancer is not contagious. You can’t catch it from someone else who has it — cancer isn’t caused by germs, like colds or the flu are. So don’t be afraid of anyone with cancer. You can talk to, play with, and hug someone with cancer.

People can’t get cancer from anything they do either. Some might think that a bump on the head causes brain cancer or that bad people get cancer. This isn’t true! But some unhealthy habits, especially cigarette smoking or drinking too much alcohol every day, can make you a lot more likely to get cancer.

Finding Out About CancerIt can take a while for a doctor to figure out someone has cancer. That’s because the symptoms cancer can cause — weight loss, fevers, swollen glands, or feeling overly tired or sick for a while — usually are not caused by cancer.

If the doctor suspects cancer, he or she can do tests to figure out if that’s the problem. A doctor might order X-rays and blood tests and recommend the person go to see an oncologist. An oncologist is a doctor who takes care of and treats cancer patients. The oncologist will likely run other tests to find out if someone really has cancer. If so, tests can determine what kind of cancer it is and if it has spread to other parts of the body. Based on the results, the doctor will decide the best way to treat it.

One test that an oncologist (or a surgeon) may perform is a biopsy. During a biopsy, a piece of tissue is removed from a tumor or a place in the body where cancer is suspected, like the bone marrow. Don’t worry — someone getting this test will get special medicine to keep him or her comfortable during the biopsy. The sample that’s collected will be examined under a microscope for cancer cells.

Treating Cancer CarefullyCancer is treated with surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation — or sometimes a combination of these treatments. The choice of treatment depends on:

• thetypeofcancersomeonehas(thekindofabnormalcells causing the cancer)• thestageofthetumor(meaninghowmuchthecancerhas spread within the body, if at all)

Surgery is the oldest form of treatment for cancer — 3 out of every 5 people with cancer will have an operation to remove it. During surgery, the doctor tries to take out as many cancer cells as possible. Some healthy cells or tissue may also be removed to make sure that all the cancer is gone.

Chemotherapy is the use of anti-cancer medicines (drugs) to treat cancer. These medicines are sometimes taken as a pill, but usually are given through a special intravenous line, also called an IV. An IV is a tiny plastic catheter (straw-like tube) that is put into a vein through someone’s skin, usually on the arm. The catheter is attached to a bag that holds the medicine. The medicine flows from the bag into a vein, which puts the medicine into the blood, where it can travel throughout the body and attack cancer cells.

Chemotherapy is usually given over a number of weeks to months. Often, a permanent catheter is placed under the skin into a larger blood vessel of the upper chest. This way, a person can easily get several courses of chemotherapy and other medicines through this catheter without having a new IV needle put in. The catheter remains under the skin until all the cancer treatment is completed.

Radiation therapy uses high-energy waves, such as X-rays (invisible waves that can pass through most parts of the body), to damage and destroy cancer cells. It can cause tumors to shrink and even go away completely. Radiation therapy is one of the most common treatments for cancer. Many people with cancer find it goes away after receiving radiation treatments.

With both chemotherapy and radiation, people may experience side effects. A side effect is an extra problem that’s caused by the treatment. Radiation and anti-cancer drugs are very good at destroying cancer cells but, unfortunately, they also destroy healthy cells. This can cause problems such as loss of appetite, tiredness, vomiting, or hair loss. With radiation, a person might have red or irritated skin in the area that’s being treated. But all these problems go away and hair grows back after the treatment is over. During the treatment, certain medicines can help someone feel better.

Getting BetterRemission is a great word for anyone who has cancer. It means all signs of cancer are gone from the body. After surgery or treatment with radiation or chemotherapy, a doctor will then do tests to see if the cancer is still there. If there are no signs of cancer, then the person is in remission.

Other sources of information:We contacted Macmillan to gain all this information for you. If you require anything further they also recommended

http://www.childrenfirst.nhs.ukhttp://www.ich.ucl.ac.uk/gosh_families/information_sheetswww.macmillan.org.uk

CEREBRAL PALSYIt is believed that 1 in 400 children are affected by cerebal palsy. It is a condition which affects movement, posture and coordination. Like many conditions it can affect different people in different ways. It can sometimes be picked up in babies or if not when someone is a young child. It is thought that it is caused mainly by factors which affect the brain before a baby is born.

There are three types of cerebral palsy which relate to the part of the brain that her been affected and some people may have a combination of two or all three. It is difficult for doctors to be able to predict how it may affect a child later in life although it doesn’t get

A-Z Conditions - C

Coastal Carers Fun Day

worse as someone gets older. There isn’t a cure for this condition but there are things that can be done to help improve the problems.

For more infomation: Scope, 6 Market Rd, London, N7 9PWScope Respnse 0808 800 3333Email: Response@scope.org.ukOr text SCOPE plus your message to 80039

CYSTIC FIBROSISCystic fibrosis (CF) is a condtion which affects mainly the lungs and the liver. It causes secretions in theses organs to be thicker and stickier than normal. This means that someone with CF can be more likely to have lots of chest infections and also have problems with digesting fats in food. It is a genetic disorder which means it is inherited from someone’s parents and both parents need to carry the gene to pass it on. If both parents carry the gene there is a 25% chance of their child having CF. There is a test available to see if someone is a carrier.

People with CF have to have daily physio on their chest to loosen the mucus to try to avoid infections. They also have to have medication with food to help to digest the fat that their liver can’t. They may also need to go into hospital from time to time if they do get infections to be given medicine. CF can’t be cured at the moment but there is lots of research being done to find a cure and treatment gets better all the time.

For more information go to: 11 London Road, Bromley, Kent, BR1 1BY. Tel: 020 8464 7211 Web: www.cftrust.org.uk

CROHN’S DISEASEThis a long-term condition which causes inflamation (swelling) of the lining of the digestive system. The inflamation is usually in the small and large intestine but can occur in other parts of the digestive system. This can lead to further damage to the affected areas. Symptoms usually include diarrhoea, tummy ache and being tired. Doctors are not sure what causes crohn’s disease.

There are thought to be 90,000 people who have crohn’s disease in the UK at the moment. Most people find out they have it aged 16-30 years of age, although it can affect people at any age and sometime children. It affects slightly more women then men. It is also a condition where different people can have very different symptoms for varying amounts of time to others with the disease. There is no cure but symptoms can be treated with medication and some people may require surgery.

For more infomation:National Association for Colitis & Crohn’s disease (NACC)4 Beaumont House, Sutton Rd, St Albans, Herts, AL1 5HH.Web: www.nacc.org.uk

A-Z Conditions - C

Have Your SayYou may or may not know that, if you are not satisfied with the services provided by your social worker, or you are not happy with their attitude, there is an independent complaints service which can help you and advise you with your concerns.

There is an independent complaints manager, who is presently John Stephenson,and he can give you impartial and confidential advice about any aspects of Children’s Services that you are not

happy with. You can contact him, and he will arrange an appointment either to visit you or to discuss the issues that you have over the telephone. You may be eligible to have somebody appointed to speak on your behalf, called an advocate.

Once you have contacted the complaints manager, you can rest assured that everything that you wish to discuss with him will be confidential (unless it affects you or another person’s welfare) and it will be your

decision what action is followed in relation to whether or not you wish to make a complaint.

If you wish to contact the complaints manager, please feel free to ring on 01522 554098, or email John.Stephenson@lincolnshire.gov.uk or write to Complaints Manager, Orchard House, Orchard Street, Lincoln, LN1 1BA. I look forward to hearing from you.

By John Stephenson

To get involved with anything you have read about in this newslettercontact AYC on Tel: 01205 358834 Email: ayc@carersfederation.co.uk

The neighbourhood management group in Mablethorpe are organising a large event in Mablethorpe for carers and their families on the 19th June 2010, Stanley Avenue, Mablethorpe, 10.00 am to 3.00 pm. The event will include many activities from face painting, card making, dancing, bowls (weather permitting), punch and judy show, karaoke and Nintendo Wii.

Activities will be available for all

ages and abilities. There will also be information stands and refreshments. The event is free and if you live in Mablethorpe or surrounding areas you are more than welcome to pop along for all or some of the day.

Please come along and support this event if you can. If you would like more information please contact Amber on 01205 358834 or a.spiers@carersfederation.co.uk.

Since the last newsletter, we have unfortunately been unsuccessful in securing the funding for the lifeskills work and counselling service.

We have though gained funding to begin a BRAND NEW support service for ‘SIBS’ - someone who looks after a brother or sister. So now sibling carers coming into AYC will receive this service. Hurray!We are also thrilled to announce Carers Federation has been awarded the contract for AYC+ for the next 3 years. This service is now funded by Lincolnshire County Council like the main AYC project and will allow you all to access support until you reach 25. Great news!

Funding update