UK
Helping hand for Tower Hamlets young carers
Tower Hamlets Council has launched a new strategy to help over 1,000 local young people currently caring for family members or friends.
The Young Carers Strategy sets out how the Council will be supporting under-18s who care for a relative or friend without pay over the next three years. Its estimated that around 1,200 young people in Tower Hamlets are caring for people up to and over 20 hours a week, although only 150 are currently receiving support from the Council.
Young carers generally care for people who have physical disabilities, long term conditions or substance misuse problems.
The new strategy, which was approved at the Councils February Cabinet meeting includes plans to raise awareness of the help young carers can access to make sure their education, health and enjoyment does not suffer as a result of their care arrangement.
Nationally, around 40 per cent of all young carers experience problems at school because of the stress of caring for someone. Their commitments to the people they care for can also see them fall behind on the coursework or studies. To help make sure all young carers can succeed at school guidance and training will be given to school and youth group staff to make them fully aware of the demands placed on young carers.
Young carers will also get more chances to voice their opinions on issues affecting young people in Tower Hamlets as they will now be represented in every single Council consultation with children and young people.
And to make sure that young carers dont miss out on the many fantastic leisure opportunities in the borough, they will be given priority access to Choice and Opportunities On-Line (COO-L) cards. The COO-L scheme allows young people to enjoy leisure and cultural activities such as gym memberships, dance classes and football training for free.
Cllr Clair Hawkins, Lead Member for Childrens Services at Tower Hamlets Council said: Caring for someone is a very demanding role, but there is even more pressure on young people who regularly care for friends and family. They do a fantastic job, but we want to make sure they can continue to live healthy, happy lives and perform well during their time at school or college. This strategy will make that possible. It will help to significantly take the pressure off of young carers, and ensure they have access to all the support they need and are entitled to.
The Young Carers strategy sets out Tower Hamlets Councils plans to overcome any barriers to local young people achieving the five key aims of the Every Child Matters agenda Being healthy, staying safe, enjoying and achieving, making a positive contribution and achieving economic wellbeing. It will see the Council working with a number of partner organisations to help deliver all the necessary support for young carers.
Hannah Wooderson
19 February 2009
http://www.24dash.com/news/Communities/2009-02-19-Helping-hand-for-Tower-Hamlets-young-carers
