Young carers

A young carer is a person aged 18 or under who cares, unpaid, for a family member or friend suffering from any of the following:

• A long-term illness/condition
• A physical or learning disability
• A drug or alcohol problem
• A mental health condition.

The support provided by a young carer varies. Still, typically it involves a combination of personal care (such as helping to dress or bathe them), practical care (such as cooking, cleaning, and shopping), and emotional care (such as talking through their concerns with them).

• are you between 6 and 18 years old and living in Waltham Forest?
• do you help look after your parent, carer, or sibling because they are disabled, have emotional or mental health needs or drug/alcohol dependency?
• do you worry about the person you care for?
• does your family have struggles with money, finding work, or getting benefits?
• does your caring role impact your education at school or college?
• does your caring role impact the time you could spend participating in activities and socialising with friends?
• Do you feel isolated, or do you feel your caring role makes you different from other young people around you?

We can help you to access:

• whole family support
• clubs and positive activities
• support with education, training, or employment
• school holiday activities
• days out
• residential breaks

We can also support and guide you to specialist support from our partner agencies and organisations if you have specific needs that require specific support.

Early help and support for families

Online, phone and in-person support for unpaid carers

The Young Carers Programme offers young carers known to the council, access to activities and opportunities, that provide them with respite from their caring role and responsibilities but also the opportunity to engage and benefit from activities they may usually, be unable to access.

Young Carers Club 6 to 18 years (term time)

An opportunity to meet up with other young carers and offer a safe space to participate in activities, games, discussions and workshops. Accessible by invite only.

Community transport is provided to pick-up and drop all attendees home. (a referral is required from a named family practitioner and places are offered subject to availability).

Day Trips

Young carers accessing and attending our club offer will be able to attend fully funded day trips with the programme staff. The trips are organised around the Easter and summer holiday periods. Trips that are arranged will be planned around the wishes and ideas of the young carers. In the past, young carers have visited theme parks, beaches, cinema and gone out as a group for a meal. 

Residential Trip

Young carers accessing and attending our club offer can take part in the Young Carers Festival. The festival takes place over a weekend in June and is organised for young carers from across the UK. The festival offers young carers access to a fun and interactive programme filled with diverse and exciting activities for them to participate in.

Workshops/ Training

The young carers programme works with partners and external organisations to provide workshops that engage and encourage young carers to access new experiences and learning opportunities. These workshops are planned to take place during club sessions and school holidays. Please speak to your Early Help or Social worker to gain access to these opportunities. (a referral is required from a named family practitioner and places are offered subject to availability).

Jack Petchey Award

The young carers programme participates annually in the Jack Petchey Award Scheme. Young carers ages 11+ who attend our club are nominated by their peers for the award. The successful young carer is presented with a certificate, badge and decides how the £300 award is spent for their club session. The winning young carers are invited to attend an awards ceremony that takes place.  

Duke of Edinburgh Awards 14 to 18 years 

Duke of Edinburgh scheme is available to young people from ages 14 to 24 years.  Young carers places are funded by the programme. 

What you need to know 

You complete the award programme at 3 levels, bronze, silver and gold.  You start with bronze and work your way up. You select what sections you want participate in, allowing the programme to contain activities that interest and motivate you 

Sections covered as part of the Duke of Edinburgh award programme: 

• Physical
• Skills
• Volunteering
• Expedition
• Residential (Gold only)

Find out more about the Duke of Edinburgh scheme.

To access this funding please speak to your named family practitioner.

Virtual Group Tuition for Year 6 to Year 11 Students

Offering access to group learning, to help support learning and understanding in key subjects of the curriculum, delivered in small groups in virtual classes.

Grants 

Available to young carers and their family (specific to targeted identified areas – subject to available grants and funding.

We make sure that you’re involved and play an active role in all decisions and in choosing the kind of support that you need to achieve your goals.

 We promise to

• Treat you with respect.
• Ask you directly about the support you need.
• Give you access to the information we hold about you and your family.
• Ask your views on the way that the project should involve you and how the project is run.
• Be sensitive to your culture, ethnicity and religion.

If you have any questions or would like to find out how your child can be referred to the young carers programme, please contact us and leave your name and number if you would like a callback.

Email young.carers@walthamforest.gov.uk

To refer yourself for whole family support, call the council's MASH service on 0208 496 2310 and request a young carer's assessment of need. 

Referrals to our programme need to be made by your Early Help Practitioner or Social worker.

If you are a professional making a referral for a young carer, please ensure the young carer is aware, and the referral has been discussed with the young carer and their family.

If you identify a child or young person in Waltham Forest who may be a young carer who requires additional support, please refer to MASH requesting a young carer's assessment of need.

Please note the young carer being referred must be open to either Children Social Care or Early Help 0-19 to access the Young Carers Programme

• Young Carers self-identification poster (Word doc)
• Young Carers Leaflet (PDF)
• Young Carers poster (PDF)
• New YC MACA Form 2024 V1.3 (Word doc)
• WF YC Consent Form V1.3. (Word doc)
• EH Young Carers New Referrals and CSC Step Down to EH (PDF) 
• LBWF MASH referral form (Word doc)
• LBWF Young Carers Journey (PDF)
• Positive and Negative Outcomes of Caring (PANOC-YC20) (Word doc)