Young Carers
Who is a Young Carer?
A child under the age of 18 is a ‘young carer’ if they provide ongoing care for a sibling, parent or significant other family member who has one, or a combination, of the following conditions:
- a physical or learning difficulty
- a sensory impairment
- a diagnosed chronic illness
- mental ill health
- substance/ alcohol dependency
- a sibling who is neurodivergent which in turn impacts on them
By ‘care’ we mean:
- Practical - A young carer may be cleaning, cooking, doing the laundry, paying bills or collecting medication
- Physical - A young carer may be lifting and moving a relative, helping someone get out of bed or carrying shopping
- Personal - A young carer may be assisting in bathing, dressing, feeding or supporting with the giving of medication
- Emotional - A young carer may provide a listening ear, offer comfort or help the cared for feel better about themselves
How does Lime Tree identify and support a young carer?
Surrey’s dedicated Surrey Young Carers team provide invaluable support for schools in identifying and supporting young carers. Our designated member of staff who has responsibility for young carers is Emma Roper.
A child may be identified as a young carer following a conversation a member of our school staff may have had during a breaktime or class discussion. This may followed up by our Home School link worker or class teacher. Alternatively, a child may be identified during a conversation held between a class teacher and parent/s at, for example, Parents’ Evening.
When a young person supports someone in a caring capacity, they may need a little additional support in school. We offer a lunchtime club called ‘Chill Zone’ which the children love. This is held every week on a Thursday. In order for all year groups to access the offer, we run the club between 12:15 and 1:30pm. We have a range of activities from making pom-poms to playing board games, drawing, jigsaws and enjoying time in the sensory room. Every half term, we offer an afternoon of fun activities such as biscuit making and decorating.
What to do if you believe that your child is a young carer
If you believe that your child may be a young carer and would benefit from some support, please contact the school via email at youngcarers@limetreeschool.org
Please could you include your child’s name and their class. All information received will be treated in the strictest confidence.
If requested, we can support you in applying to Surrey Young Carers. The young person must be no younger than Year 1 school age. You can complete the referral yourself using the link below:
