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EALING COUNCIL
NO WRONG DOORS
Working together to support young
carers and their families
Young carers fact sheet for professionals
WHAT IS A YOUNG CARER?Young carers are children and young people under the age of 18 who take on and provide a considerable amount of care and support to a family member or friend who has a physical or learning disability, long term illness, mental health needs or an issue with drugs or alcohol.
THE CARING ROLEWhilst most young people help or are expected to help parents around the house with basic tasks, some young people, dependent on the cared for person needs and the family situations, take on caring responsibilities that are inappropriate and excessive for their age. Caring Roles may include:
• Physical: help with personal care such as washing, dressing, feeding, moving and handling, and administering medication
• Practical: help within the home in cooking, cleaning, shopping, arranging to pay the bills,
collecting medication, arranging clinical appointments
• Emotional: emotional support to cared for person or other family members in the home
• Helping to look after siblings and other family members.
IMPACT OF CARINGAll young people are individuals and have the right to lead a healthy, safe and happy childhood with the opportunity to learn, grow and achieve as young people and become independent adults. The impact of caring can be profound on young people’s lives and development and can include:
• Feeling that there is no one there for them, that professionals do not listen to them or understand and work only with the adult
• Lack of recognition and respect of their caring role
• Problems at school – poor attendance, achievement, not being able to complete homework
• Problems moving in to adulthood – further education, employment
• Isolation and a poor social network with children of similar age
• Lack of time for leisure activities
• Feeling guilty – conflicts between their own needs and the needs of the cared for person and other family members
• Being bullied and stigmatised.
YOUNG CARERS LEGISLATIONThe Children and Families Act 2014, Care Act 2014 and Statutory Guidance set out that young carers are entitled to a young carers needs assessment and Local Authorities are required to:
i. Ensure young carers are identified
ii. Assess young carers where they may have support needs
iii. Align the assessment of a young carers with an assessment of the adult they care for
iv. Consider the support that disabled parents and carers may need in carrying out their responsibility to care for a child
v. Consider the impact on a young person if they are carrying out caring tasks including the impact of inappropriate levels of caring
vi. Ensure that adult services identify children in the household and consider whether they are a young carer.
YOUNG CARERS IN EALINGThere should be “No Wrong Doors” for young carers and their families. Regardless of which service or agency is contacted first, young carers should be identified, assessed and their families supported in ways that prevent excessive or inappropriate caring and support parenting roles.
THE ROLE OF SOCIAL WORKERS, PRACTITIONERS AND CLINICIANS1) Identify if there is a child in the
same household of the cared for person and consider the impact of the cared for person on the young person.
2) What caring role does the young person take on?
4 Talk to the family and the young person to gain an understanding of their role and impact.
3) Consider how it will be possible to support the person in need of care to prevent and reduce the need for a young person to take on and provide inappropriate caring roles
4 Consider making a referral of the cared for person to Adult Services for an assessment of eligibility under the Care Act 2014.
4) If a young person in the household is identified as a child in need or a young person with inappropriate caring role – Refer to Ealing Children’s Integrated Response Service (ECIRS) 020 8825 6000 Inform the parents that a referral is being made for a young carers assessment to help meet the need of the young person and family.
5) Make a referral to the Ealing Young Carers Project – a project for young carers offering support and chance for the young carer ton have a break and meet other young carers. Contact the Young Carers Project on 020 8326 7044.
NO WRONG DOORS
WHAT YOUNG CARERS HAVE SAID
“I want to help mum. It makes me
upset, I get depressed. I think it’s my fault and I feel that I am the reason she drinks, then I feel embarrassed and
ashamed and then I feel guilty for feeling like this about
her. I mean she’s my mum”
“I miss a lot of school time because I am tired as I may have been up helping
my mum with her tablets during the night.”
“I cannot go out and play with friends because I have to help my dad and my little brother who has autism and he is not able
to tell my dad what is wrong.”
“I think it is a good idea to try and raise awareness about the things we have to do as young carers, although sometimes young carers do not
want everyone to know.”
“My mum has a mental illness, but no one told me why she was acting so weird. None of the doctors told me. They didn’t think how I was feeling and worrying”
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KEY CONTACTSNO WRONG DOORSYOUNG CARERS SUPPORT
Children’s Social CareECIRS: Ealing Children’s Integrated Response Service The single point of entry for all referrals into Ealing Children’s Services where there are concerns about a child or young person or a family is in need of additional support. Children and young people identified as young carers should be referred to ECIRS for access to Supportive Action for Families in Ealing (SAFE) for young carers assessment and support. Tel: 020 8825 8000 Option 2 Email: [email protected]
Adult Social Care Advice and support for adults with physical and learning disabilities, mental health needs, older people and people who misuse drugs or alcohol. Tel: 020 8825 8000 Option 1 Email: [email protected]
CGL Ealing Substance Misuse RISE – Adult Substance Misuse, Pathways to recovery for adults affected by substance abuse Tel: 020 8567 4772, 0800 195 8100
EASY – Young person substance misuse treatment service Tel: 07500 962 285 Email: [email protected]
West London Mental Health Trust – Adult mental health services
24/7 patient and carer support line Tel: 0300 1234 244
Ealing Carers Centre – a resource and support centre for all unpaid carers, of any age, in the borough of Ealing. Telephone: 020 8840 1566 Email: [email protected]
Ealing Young Carers Project – provided by Brentford FC Community Sport Trust
The Ealing Young Carers Project provides information, advice and one to one support to meet their needs and a regular programme of fun activities. Name: Kathryn Sobczak Tel: 020 8326 7044 E-mail: [email protected]
For more information contact [email protected]
