Our schools support service offers individual support to both primary and secondary age children and young people in their schools. Providing a safe space to explore their feelings, anxieties and frustrations these one to one sessions use creative non-threatening engagement methods to facilitate children in making the best use of the opportunity. The scheme is proven to improve educational engagement and attainment, reduce behavioural issues in school and reduce difficulties arising from the conflicting demands between a young carers family and educational life. One of the key elements of the scheme is to provide a point of contact and support for those who unable to attend our evening group sessions due to their caring commitments.
Our Support Workers are able to liaise and offer advocacy on the child’s behalf over any issues arising through their school life, such as bullying and difficulties with completing homework. With unsupported young carers achieving GCSE’s around 2 grades lower than their peers and twice as likely to be NEAT upon leaving school, this is a vital aspect of our service promoting the importance of education in later independence and wellbeing. The service provided around 800 individual sessions to students last year.
Our Support Workers are also able to provide support and advice to schools on developing their own young carers offer and working to achieve Carers Trust ‘Young Carers in Schools’ Awards, including awareness training for staff and evidence based support methods and programs.
Due to funding constraints the One2One program is currently undergoing review and re-design, and we are only able to offer limited capacity.