Step 7, Tool 4:Staff training facilitator’s guide

Purpose

The Young Carers School Operational Lead should ensure training is delivered as part of all staff inductions and regularly features in staff continuous professional development, for example as part of a staff INSET day, staff meeting or twilight session.

The purpose of this resource is to support the Young Carers School Operational Lead to deliver this training in their school. It provides guidance for them to use when preparing for and delivering the training and contains interactive activities to engage staff members. Outside agencies, such as a local young carers service, may also be able to provide support with staff training or deliver the training themselves. Your school might want to consider inviting other professionals working in your school to join training sessions and even share training with other schools in the same school cluster.

Notes for the Young Carers School Operational Lead/member of staff delivering the training

Preparation prior to the training

Ensure you understand young carers’ issues (see Step 1: An introduction to young carers) and how school staff can effectively identify and support young carers and their families (see Step 6, Tool 1: Checklist of signs a pupil is a young carer and Step 6, Tool 2: How to identify young carers in your school). You will also need to be familiar with the systems/processes in place in your school for identifying, assessing, supporting and monitoring outcomes for young carers and their families.

Make sure you are familiar with the training materials, and have made appropriate changes to Step 7, Tool 2: Training toolkit – PowerPoint presentation to include information relating to your school’s individual circumstances. There are a number of slides which require modification to suit your individual school structure or local circumstances and these are indicated throughout the guidance by the use of the word ‘remember’.

Timing

This training session is planned to last approximately one hour, including time for staff to reflect on their learning by filling in training evaluation forms. The Young Carers School Operational Lead may wish to customise the materials, for example altering activities or selecting key slides, to manage time.

Time allowances within the notes are indicative and provided as a guide.

Training points

Slides 2, 8 and 10 contain small group activities. You will need to set up the training room to enable staff to sit in small groups. You should also encourage staff to sit in mixed groups (for example, teachers, non-teaching support staff, senior leadership team) to enable the sharing of expertise.

During training sessions, staff might identify themselves as carers and highlight their own support needs. It would be useful to make information available for adult carers, such as Carers Trust’s website, and local carers support information.

Resources the Young Carers School Operational Lead needs

Step 7 Tool 3: Training toolkit – hand out 1o Staff will use this hand out to write down their answers to the activity on Slide 10.o Staff will be in small groups of 4–5 and one sheet will be needed per group.o You should also have a copy for your own reference.

Step 7 Tool 4: Training toolkit – Training evaluation feedback sheeto This will be handed out at the end of the training.o One evaluation hand out will be needed for each staff member.

Resources participants need Pen and paper. Flipchart paper and marker pens for activity 2. PowerPoint presentation in note form, 3 slides to page.

Guidance TimingSlide 1

Remember to put your name and job title on the slide. Can also include the name of school and/or school logo.

Introduce yourself and the session. Explain that:Young carers are a vulnerable and disadvantaged group, who often experience difficulties in their education. Without support, they can struggle to attend school and make good progress.

This training aims to give staff the knowledge and skills to narrow the gap for these pupils.

We will discuss: Who young carers are, the likely number of young carers at school and why

so many are hidden. The potential impacts of caring responsibilities on a pupil’s achievement and

well-being. How to identify, support and signpost young carers to raise their attendance,

attainment and well-being.

The session will take … minutes and will include different activities which staff will need paper and pen for. Feedback will be gathered via an evaluation form at the end of the session.

1 min

Slide 2 Suggested starter activity:

Ask participants to discuss what they understand about young carers in pairs, focusing on three key areas:

Who young carers are, the likely number of young carers at school and why so many are hidden,

The potential impacts of caring responsibilities on a pupil’s achievement and well-being

How to identify, support and signpost young carers to raise their attendance,

7 mins

Supporting Young Carers in Schools

Guidance Timing

attainment and well-being.

Ask a couple of participants to feedback one key point from their discussion. Explain we will revisit this discussion at the end of the session to identify what we have learnt.

Slide 3 Introduce the clip by saying we are going to hear directly from some young carers to find out more about the type of caring responsibilities they may have and potential impacts.

Explain that young carers: Are young people under 18 who regularly help look after someone in their

family, or a friend, who is ill, disabled or misuses drugs or alcohol. Take on practical and emotional tasks normally undertaken by an adult. Are specifically mentioned in the Estyn Inspection Guidance as a vulnerable

group.

Play the clip (3:15). Then ask a couple of participants whether there was anything that particularly struck them in what the young people said.

8 mins

Slide 4 Explain that: The 2012 Census identified 244,000 young carers in England and Wales,

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Guidance Timingalthough this is widely believed to be the tip of the iceberg.

Further research (BBC, 2010) suggests there could be 700,000 young carers in the UK, many unaware of the impacts of the caring role they are undertaking.

Wales has the highest proportion of young carers in the UK, with official figures showing at least one young carer in every class, and research suggesting the real figure to be closer to 4 in every class1.

The number of primary school pupils identified as young carers increased by 83% during the time between the two most recent census collections.

Many young carers are hidden.

Slide 5 Explain that there are many reasons why a young carer may be hidden, including:

The condition of the person they care for is not obvious. They do not realise they are a carer. The parent doesn’t identify their child as a carer. They do not want to be different from their peers. They believe the school will show no interest. They want to keep their identity at school separate. There has been no opportunity to tell anyone. They are worried about bullying. They are worried their family might be split up. They want to keep it a secret and/or are embarrassed. They see no reason to tell their story.

2 mins

Slide 6 Explain that: Caring can also affect a young person’s social life, self-confidence, physical

and mental health and well-being. We know that having caring responsibilities can have a significant impact on a

3 mins

1 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-11757907 Supporting Young Carers in Schools

Guidance Timingpupil’s attendance, attainment and progress at school. Here are a few questions on what researchers have found.

Click forward so that each question appears on the screen. As the question appears ask staff to put up their hands/discuss the answer to each question.

After taking a suggested answer(s) from staff members click the screen for the answer to appear. Click the screen again for the next question to appear and so on. There are three questions.

Explain that research also tells us:

Young carers on average cut short or miss 48 days of school a year If left unsupported, young carers can have significantly lower educational

attainment level, nine grades lower at GCSE compared to their peers. That’s nine Ds instead of nine Cs (The Children’s Society, 2013).

We know from the 2011 Census that for young carers doing more than 50 hours of care a week they are five times more likely to report that their health is ‘not good’ and there is evidence that they have significant levels of mental health needs that are not being addressed2

They are more likely than the national average not to be in education, employment or training (NEET) between the ages of 16 and 19, which reduces their future life chances.3

Slide 7 Remember to insert the name of the school into the slide and to give brief details of what support your school is offering to young carers.

5 mins

2 Sempik, J. and Becker, S. (2013) Young Adult Carers at School: Experiences and Perceptions of Caring and Education. (London, Carers Trust)

3 Source: 1-4 Hidden from View: the experiences of young carers in England (The Children’s Society 2013) / 5 Young Adult Carers at School: Experiences and Perceptions

of Caring and Education (Carers Trust 2013).

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Guidance Timing

Explain that: The school is taking part in a national programme to support young carers The school has access to a ‘Step-by-step Guide’ outlining the key steps to

setting up an effective model of identification and support. You might also want to provide details about the type of provision currently

available at your school (for example, assemblies on caring and disability to reduce stigma, lunchtime detentions as many carers are needed by their families straight after school.

Slide 8

Slide 8 cont.

Suggested activity: Ask participants to discuss in groups what they think are the key signs that might identify a young carer.

Take feedback and explain that signs include the pupil:

Under achieving. Being late for lessons, missing school and/or deadlines. Being withdrawn, distracted or tired. Lacking social skills Being secretive about home life. Having behavioural issues Not getting involved in clubs/activities/trips. Plus their parent/s might be difficult to engage with.

Explain that it is important to remember:

A pupil who has a family member who is ill, disabled or has an addiction is not always a young carer, however it can often be a good indicator.

The signs that a child or young person may be a young carer may, of course, also be indicators of many other issues. However, knowing these signs can help staff build up a picture of a pupil and ask the right questions to establish

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Guidance Timingwhether a pupil is a young carer.

Slide 9 Schools should have an agreed process in place so that once a young carer is identified:

There is a follow up conversation with the pupil to identify the extent of their caring role.

The needs of the young carer and their family are assessed. Relevant staff and other professionals are involved to plan and implement

support. Pupil plans/provision maps are agreed and developed. Appropriate support is delivered. Impacts on the young carer and their family are effectively monitored and

reviewed.

The Young Carers School Operational Lead should use this slide to explain the agreed process in place in their school to staff.

5 mins

Slide 10 Suggested activity

Ask participants to work in groups to discuss what types of support young carers need from school staff and identify:

What they already do to support young carers as part of their wider role in the school.

What else they could do to support young carers. What challenges they might face carrying out these actions. What support they may need to overcome these challenges.

Distribute Handout 1

After the feedback session all feedback sheets could be collected. The trainer could

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Guidance Timingthen circulate all feedback to all participants after the training.

Slide 11 Remember to enter the details for staff members to contact if they have any questions

Sum up main points of what has been covered by asking participants to review the flipcharts from Slide 1 and feedback three things they have learnt during the session.

Explain that: We carried out this training to ensure that all staff members know the

importance of their role in supporting young carers in school. This ensures that school is an enjoyable place for young carers and that they are equipped to reach their full potential.

Identifying a young carer early can stop them taking on caring roles which are excessive or inappropriate. No child or young person’s education, well-being or potential should be affected by their caring role.

To support participants to reflect on their learning, distribute Handout 2 and ask participants to fill it in before leaving.

5 mins

Supporting Young Carers in Schools