1. Liverpool’s Approach to Young Carers ( 0 -25 )
Jane Weller Louise Wardale
Commissioning and Contract Manager Keeping the Family in Mind Coordinator
Liverpool City Council Barnardo’s Action with Young Carers
Liverpool

2. In Partnership with …

3. Where the journey began… Why work in partnership …
“They say things like ‘we only work with your mum’ but my mum lives with me so its all connected”.
“ Its difficult enough living with mental health problems, but it feels like me and the kids have all our problems separated out and then no one gets the whole picture and sees how we are all affected”.

4. Who are young carers?
Young Carers are children and young people under the age of 18, who provide care to another family member usually an adult, who has a physical illness/disability; mental ill health; sensory disability; has problematic use of drugs or alcohol.
The level of care they provide would usually be undertaken by an adult and as a result of this has a significant impact on their normal childhood.

5. A young carer is defined in law …
As a ‘person under 18 who provides or intends to provide care to another person’. This includes; ‘providing practical or emotional support’ which is ‘not under or by virtue of a contract or of voluntary work’ (Children and Families Act, 2014) More broadly, a carer is ‘somebody who provides support or who looks after a family member, partner or friend and who needs help because of their age, physical or mental illness or disability’ ( Care Act 2014)

6. The Children and Families Act & The Care Act
Together, both Acts provide a clear framework for LA’s to take a whole family approach –
To assessing and supporting adults and young carers
Delivering support in a coordinated whole family way
CYP at risk of undertaking inappropriate caring roles are identified and protected
Amends Children Act & Duty to assess young carers on appearance of need

7. Early Help – everybody’s business - as are Young Carers !
Liverpool introduced the CAF and Team Around the Child to provide opportunities to bring together individual assessments giving an overview of family strengths, risks, relationships and needs
CAF became EHAT which provided a more robust, integrated, whole family framework to bring adult and children’s services together creating resourceful and resilient families
The EHAT Framework and Team Around the Family framework can provide a good basis for taking a whole family approach to the identification, assessment and support of children and young people impacted and young carers

8. Key figures about young carers
166,363 YC’s in England – Census 2011
BBC Research ( 2010) ,000
Liverpool – over 5,100 under 25 years = 3.5% of that group
1 in 12 caring for more than 15 hours per week
1 in 12 secondary school pupils are carers
1in 20 miss school due to caring role
Average annual income for families with a YC is £5,000 less than families who do not have a YC
YC’s have significantly lower educational attainment at GCSE level – equivalent to 9 grades lower than peers
YC’s more likely to be NEET ( 16 – 19 years)
Over 60% report being bullied
If doing just a school audience we can amend and use the very school focused stats to reinforce the message

9. Young carers tell us that they…
have no one to talk to
are scared to tell anyone about their home circumstances
are tired and hungry, frightened and isolated
are stigmatised, ashamed and guilty
are worried about things like finances or being put into care
are looking after siblings as well as parents
have difficulty getting to school on time/stay in the whole day
find it difficult to concentrate and hold on to their tempers
need in information and explanations
lack confidence

10. Key issues for parents
fear of losing children, reality of it happening
uncertainty & complexity
feeling of being ‘on trial’ about parenting abilities
fear of asking for help
isolation and stigma
impossibility of parenting without family and social networks

11. Caution ….hidden carers
Young Carers remain hidden for many reasons including:
they do not realise that they are a carer or that their life is different to their peers
their parent’s do not realise that their children are carers
they worry that the family will be split up and taken into care
they don’t want to be any different from their peers
their parent’s condition is not obvious so people don’t think that they need any help
there has been no opportunity to share their story
They see no reason or positive actions occurring as a result of telling their story

12. Advice, Information and Guidance Request for a Young Carers Assessment
Contact Barnardo’s Action with Young Carers
Contact the Early Help Hubs

15. Pathway for Young Carers & Young Adult Carers
Working to ensure ‘no wrong door’ for young carers and their families

16. YC Initial Statutory Assessment (Part 1) MACA and PANOC completed
Information gathered about other Services involved across adults and children’s
LEVEL 2
Pre-EHAT/EHAT/CSSA*
received and screened
Allocated to project worker to complete CSSA or statutory YC Assessment
YC Initial Statutory Assessment (Part 1) MACA and PANOC completed
YAC – eligibility established
* Carers Supported Self Assessment
1 or 2
Locality Hub
School/FE/HE
EHAT/support plan
Team around the Family
No negative Impact of Caring Universal Support/EHAT considered
1 or 2
Targeted Offer Low Negative impact of caring EHAT
Level 1 or 2
LEVEL 3
Part 2 Young Carer Assessment/CSSA completed and support plan agreed with 4 options
Level 2
Level 2
Level 3
Step Down
Step Up
Level 3
Specialist Offer Allocated Worker
Level 4
LEVEL 4
Careline/Children’s Social Care
Statutory Intervention
(in line with LSCB Levels of Need Guidance)
Statutory Review
Outcomes and Young Carer/YAC support plan reviewed

17. Support offered following assessment
1-1 support, someone to talk to who will listen
Support around emotional health and well-being
Group work (focused/targeted) to promote peer support and reduce isolation
Participation in service design
Information and advice about illness and disabilities of the cared for person
Breaks from caring & opportunity to meet other young carers
Support around education, employment and training
Access to support for the cared for
Emergency planning
Multi agency work to ensure a whole family approach
Tailored information and advice
Carers Direct Payments (YAC’s)
Ensuring they are empowered and supported to be involved in plans and decision making that affects them (their support plan and the assessment of the person they care for.)

18. Outcomes
Outcomes are set in partnership with Young Carer and their Family, with particular focus on :
Health Wellbeing and Home Life
Employment Education and Finance
Participation and Engagement
We use a Range of validated tools to set and review (distance travelled):
MACA – YC18, PANOC – YC20
Outcomes Stars
WEMWBS (for YACS)
Needs led - young carers and family’s self-identified support needs and plan.

19. The journey continues… young carers voices …
“I do want to say that the word assessment is not one that is used by young people or the project workers as we understand assessment to mean something that you pass or fail”
“I think if a social worker had asked me all the questions, I would have been frightened that we would be taken into care. I would be frightened about how they were going to use the information”
“I was scared before coming to Barnardo’s because I didn’t get it explained to me by my social worker”

20. ‘Can you see me, can you hear me? …. then why did you ignore me?’
What really helps ?
Taking a whole family approach means that underlying issues can be addressed
No wrong door …
‘Can you see me, can you hear me? ….
then why did you ignore me?’

24. Contact details ... Barnardo's Action with Young Carers Service
Jane Weller
Louise Wardale