Introduction

Young carers are children and young people, aged 5 – 24 years, who provide regular and ongoing care to a family member who has a long-term illness, disability, mental health issue or misuses substances. The family member may be a parent, sibling or grandparent living with them. 

 Caring responsibilities can have a significant impact on young people and can affect their physical and mental health, education and social opportunities. Carers Trust Hillingdon has been supporting young carers since 2001. 

We aim to mitigate the impact of caring on young people through the provision of emotional support, school liaison, information and advice and regular social activities. We also work in partnership with local organisations and schools to identify young carers and raise awareness of their needs.

The young carers service supports children and young people, who live in Hillingdon and have a caring responsibility at home.

5-15 years

This could be helping to look after a parent, sibling or any other family member who is physically or mentally ill, disabled or misuses substances.

The young carers service supports children and young people, aged 5 – 25, who live in Hillingdon and have a caring responsibility at home. This could be helping to look after a parent, sibling or any other family member who is physically or mentally ill, disabled or misuses substances.

Our aim:

Our fun and friendly service aims to reduce the impact of caring on young people through the provision of:

Weekly youth clubs
Extensive school holiday activity programmes.
Weekends away
Workshops
1:1 support with a trusted adult
Whole family support
School liaison

Testimonials:

The young carers service has really helped me because I can get a break when things are difficult at home. The staff are kind and understanding and if I ever need to talk they are there.

Supported Transition is a specialist service for young adult carers aged 16 – 24 with age appropriate support for young people moving from school to whatever comes next. The transition from school to further education, apprenticeships or employment can often be very challenging.

Age 16-24

Supported Transition is a specialist service for young adult carers aged 16 – 24 with age appropriate support for young people moving from school to whatever comes next.  The transition from school to further education, apprenticeships or employment can often be very challenging.

Our aim:

We aim to support young carers through this testing stage with the provision of:

1:1 support
A programme of workshops on topics such as: CV writing, money management, interview skills, first aid and mental wellbeing
Opportunities to meet with potential employers and/or attend college and university open days
Social activities
Weekends away
Support groups
Fitness programmes

Testimonials:

“I’ve been at young carers since I was 5 years old (15 years now!) and I’ve never got bored of it. There are always lots of people to talk to, loads of fun things to do and I am more confident in life now.”

Our family support service is a specialist project working with families who are in need of extra support at times of difficulty or crisis. We are able to provide 3 – 6 months of intensive support tailored to the individual needs of each family.

Our aim:

We aim to deal with the most pressing problems a family is facing and can provide:

Housing advice and liaison with local housing services
Education and training support
Access to extra-curricular activities
Benefits and debt management advice
Liaison with schools, colleges, universities and places of work
1:1 sessions and support planning with young / young-adult carers
Emotional and wellbeing support
Family trips
Advocacy/support with accessing services

Testimonials:

“Your family support worker has worked with one of the most vulnerable families in my school for the past year. She has made the biggest impact on the life of this family and given the child she has been working with a real chance in life.”

The young carers service works in partnership with schools in Hillingdon to help them to identify and support their pupils with caring responsibilities.

Our objective

The young carers service works in partnership with schools in Hillingdon to help them to identify and support their pupils with caring responsibilities. We have published and distributed our own ‘School’s guide to young carers’ to every school in Hillingdon and are also able to provide:

Teacher/staff training sessions
PSHE lessons
Awareness raising assemblies
Support/advocacy for parents at school meetings
Support to set up young carer clubs within school
Information and publicity to display

Testimonials:

I have found the service very helpful and always ready to help and advise with  anything we need – It has been reassuring to have made the connection with the service for advice and support.