Young Carers in Schools Award
 
Archbishop Tenison’s are committed to meeting the needs of all pupils. As such, we have paired up with The Carers Trust and Off the Record Young Carers Service, Croydon to run the Young Carers in Schools Award, which identifies and offers support to those pupils who may help to care for a family member with a health condition.
 
Sometimes being a young carer can affect their performance at school, for example, they may have difficulties meeting homework deadlines or may not be able to attend extra-curricular activities and residential trips. It could also affect their mood and energy levels, especially around exam times and transitioning into Higher Education.
 
We recognise the contribution these pupils make at home and want to offer them as much support as we can. We regularly provide 1:1 support for our Young Carers when needed. This could be in the form of drawing, talking, time management techniques, target setting, revision, studying tips, careers advice and building identity and self-esteem. We are raising whole school awareness and training staff and reviewing our school policies to meet young carer’s needs. With family consent, we can also refer pupils to Off the Record Young Carers Service to ensure long term support and continuity until the age of 25. Please read our Whole School Commitment below.
Please do not hesitate to contact the School Leadership for Young Carers listed above via the Young Carer’s email which can be found in the Whole School Commitment below. All enquiries will remain confidential. Whole School Commitment to Young Carers A young carer is any young person who cares, unpaid, for a family member who due to illness, disability, mental health problems or an addiction cannot cope without their support. Statistics show that there are likely to be young carers in every school. Many young carers struggle to juggle their education and caring which can cause pressure and stress.
 
We are committed to meeting the needs of young carers so that they can attend and enjoy school in the same way as other pupils and achieve their full potential. We do this by having systems in place that identify and assess the level of caring done and provide support for each young carer and their families.
 
The schools designated lead for young carers is currently vacant. If you wish to contact either Young Carer leads please telephone the school office 020 8688 4014 and leave a message. Pupils can contact either lead by the confidential designated email address: youngcarers@archten.croydon.sch.uk. We have an affective referral system and strong partnership in place with the Young Carers Service at Off the Record, Croydon. To help improve this service, feedback and ideas from our young carers and their families are welcome. Pupil Premium funding may be used in the future to minimise any barriers to education experienced by our young carers. If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact Reception at school.