STOC and Chill… making S=P+A+C+E for Young Carers
STOC and Chill… making S=P+A+C+E for Young Carers
We are very pleased to let you know about our ‘StoC & Chill’ club here at St. Thomas of Canterbury Primary School – a programme of support for young carers that recognises, rewards and celebrates these amazing young people. Young carers have caring roles for family members, for example a parent or sibling, or friends with physical or mental health problems or disabilities, or drug or alcohol problems.
Our Home School Link Worker (HSLW), Jo Scott, is our main contact for young carers in our school. She liaises with pupils, families and staff to ensure that pupils who are carers are able to fully achieve and enjoy their education. The group also organises fun events for the group in school once every half term including arts & crafts, playing games and baking.
The school is also in contact with Surrey Young Carers, a charity with whom we can register our identified young carers; we can refer to for advice and guidance; and who offer some fun “time-out” activities and groups for our young carers. For further information about Surrey Young Carers, please visit:
https://www.actionforcarers.org.uk/who-we-help/young-carers-under-18/
If you would like to find out more information about our ‘SToC & Chill’ Club or if your family is affected by any of these issues, please contact Jo Scott via email:
We look forward to hearing from you!
St Thomas’ earns the SYC Angel Award
We have been awarded Surrey Young Carers’ ‘Angel Award’ for our support for the school’s young carers. The presentation was on Young Carers Action Day, 16th March, and the staff and pupils were able to enjoy the ceremony outdoors.
Supporting young carers in lockdown
Petrina Foster, SYC’s Education Advisor for South-west Surrey, praised the school’s dedication in meeting all the criteria for the award under difficult circumstances, recognising that the school’s team “…have worked exceptionally hard to achieve this, mostly during lockdown and via lots of Zoom. I really feel they went above and beyond to support their current young carers and to identify new ones who had become impacted by Covid.“
Surrey Young Carers (part of Action for Carers Surrey) developed this award working with young carers, launching it in 2019. Our aim is to recognise schools that are providing real support to their young carers – and encourage all schools to do more. On average, there are at least two young carers in every class looking after a family member. They often face challenges because of their caring role, leading to them falling behind in their work, not meeting their potential and facing bullying.
To achieve the Award, the schools have to meet eight standards, checked by Surrey Young Carers staff and young carers themselves. These include having a carers’ champion, a carers’ support group, training for staff, and assemblies about young carers to help all pupils understand the issues the young carers face, as well as support pupils to self-identify and find the help they need.
Young Carers Action Day 16th March was Young Carers Action Day, drawing attention to the thousands of young people in the UK – 14, 000 in Surrey – who help look after an ill or disabled family member.