Winchester & District Young Carers

Winchester & District Young Carers offers support to children and young people aged 8-17yrs who care for a parent and/or sibling with a long-term illness or disability. Our approach focuses on effective early intervention, working together in partnership with universal, targeted and specialist organisations to offer the child and family the right support at the right time. Our experienced staff will assess the individuals caring role and the impact this is having on their development. We can offer a combination of the following services to ensure young carers can overcome barriers to attainment; improve motivation, self-confidence, attendance and engagement with education so they can reach their full potential. Examples of services offered in School: ? ?Assemblies? raise awareness of the issues young carers face and ensure staff are better able to identify and support young people with caring responsibilities. ? 'self Exploration? groups enable a thorough assessment of the individuals caring role and the impact this is having on them. ? ?Lunch time drop-ins? give the chance to off-load any worries or anxieties and meet other young people who are in a similar situation to themselves. Examples of services offered out of School: ? ?Carer Clubs? enable young carers to share their thoughts, feelings, needs & concerns in a safe environment and take part in specialised workshops such as dealing with stress, anger management etc.. ? ?Activities programme? enables the young people to have time out from caring, relax and have fun with their friends. ? ?Befriending scheme? provides personalised emotional/well-being sessions to meet the needs of the individual. Such support will enhance a young carer's confidence, self-esteem and motivation and in turn school attendance and attainment.