There are an estimated 800,000 Young Carers in the UK (The Children’s Society 2022) but many are hidden in society either because they are unaware they are a Young Carer or because they are too worried or embarrassed to ask for help.

At Ferndown Upper School, we are aware that some students may have caring roles at home. We believe that all children and young people should have equal access to education, regardless of their home life. Identifying these Young Carers means that they can receive the support they need to remain safe and achieve their potential in education and beyond.

A Young Carer is a child between the age of 5 to 18 who provides care for another person. They could provide care for their parent, both parents, a brother, a sister or a grandparent.

When a young person looks after someone in their family who has a disability, suffers with mental, physical ill-health or with addiction, they may need extra support to help them get the most out of school. As a school, we are very aware of and responsive to, the particular needs that our Young Carers may have. We aim to provide a supportive environment for those students who may have more responsibility at home than their peers.

We work closely with MyTime Young Carers Charity to ensure that our Young Carers receive the support and opportunities for respite, friendship and fun that they deserve. MyTime represent an invaluable resource in our mission to ensure that the Young Carers at our school make the same progress as their peers in education. https://www.mytimeyoungcarers.org/

If your child is a registered Young Carer or you think they may be a Young Carer, please contact our Young Carers Lead – Nadia Abdulgani to find out more about how we can support your child. nadiaabdulgani@fernup.dorset.sch.uk