Recognising the rights of Young Carers
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Information about the school
Welshpool Church in Wales Primary School is on the outskirts of the town of Welshpool and opened in September 2017 after the amalgamation of pupils from four of the town’s schools. After operating across three former sites since opening, the school moved into new premises in January 2021.
There are 280 pupils on roll, which includes 25 in the school’s pre-school provision. Thirty-eight per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals. This is well above the national average (21%). The school serves a community that is situated in an area ranked amongst the 10-20% most deprived areas of Wales (WIMD).
Thirty-nine per cent of pupils have additional learning needs. There are three additional classes at the school, two for pupils with moderate learning difficulties and a Nurture Programme for pupils with BESD, all of which serve the wider area of schools. Around 20% of pupils speak English as an additional language. The school also hosts a Flying Start facility and a Three- and Four-Year-old setting.
Context and background to the effective or innovative practice
The school had always recognised the role of young carers, and had previously been invited to take part in a Carers Trust pilot scheme. However, the pandemic resulted in a heightened awareness of how these children were being doubly disadvantaged, particularly during periods of lockdown. The school’s system of contacting vulnerable learners at these times further highlighted that some young carers were still being unrecognised. The school was determined to put procedures in place to ensure that young carers would always be enabled to enjoy their rights under the United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the Child, both during and following the pandemic.
Description of nature of strategy or activity
The school needed to ensure that there were robust procedures in place to identify young carers and to encourage a broader culture within the school that learners in a caring role at home should be recognised and supported. The school nominated a member of the pastoral team to lead on responsibility for this area of work and who could act as a point of contact for young carers. This person would champion their needs and link with a named governor to make sure that wider stakeholder involvement was in place.
This operational lead began by raising awareness amongst all pupils about the role of young carers, so that any ‘hidden’ carers would be able to identify themselves. It was important that this was done carefully to ensure that no stigma would be attached to self-identification, and that a positive school ethos could be established where young carers and their families would be respected and valued.
Following this, the operational lead worked with the senior management team to ensure that all teaching and auxillary staff as well as governors understood the school’s responsibilities to young carers and knew who they were across the school. Young carers were noted on class registers and through One Page Profiles so that supply teachers would also be aware of their status and the need for allowing special circumstances, such as a phone call home, support with homework or to avoid unnecessary questioning.
The school set up a young carers peer support group that meets each Friday with a member of a Powys young carers charity, Credu, and with the nominated link governor. This allows the pupils to share their stories and to have time to be children, not carers.
The young carers themselves also asked if they could set up a Pupil Voice group to include carers and non-carers. This group now meets to re-write child-friendly versions of key policies alongside the school’s Super Ambassadors to ensure that they reflect the rights of young carers. They have also been active in securing young carer identification cards for all those who wish to carry one.
The school tracks the progress of young carers as a group of learners in all aspects of their school life, including well-being, attainment and attendance. Trends are analysed to ensure that any changes that may be attributable to their caring status are noted and supported as necessary.
The school wanted to ensure that, once a young carer transferred to secondary school, their rights as a young carer continued to be met, and so a transition group was established with the local high school. It was highlighted through this group that siblings of primary carers could be ‘hidden’ in the secondary sector, and so a joint notification form was established where the primary and secondary school could work in partnership to identify where siblings may have joint caring responsibilities.
What impact has this work had on provision and learners’ standards?
The young Carers in school are proud of their caring status, and the school has noted that since self-identification has been encouraged and since being part of a peer support group, many have increased levels of self-esteem and self-confidence.
How have you shared your good practice?
The operational lead has spoken at the All Powys Wellbeing Work Group, leading to recommendations being shared with all schools in the authority.