News

More than two out of three young carers are bullied at school (68%), reveals new research launched today (Monday 17th May) by The Princess Royal Trust for Carers and The Children’s Society.

The survey of 700 6-18 year olds who care for a sick or disabled family member, found that over a third (38%) worry about the person they care for when they are at school, while a quarter (23%) suffer from the stress of juggling school work and caring responsibilities. Other young carers surveyed experience tiredness, depression, and miss homework deadlines and school altogether.

A total of 70% agreed with the statement that “being a young carer has made their life more difficult”.

Danielle is 12 years old and cares for both her mum, who was diagnosed with fibromyalgia two years ago, and her dad who is epileptic. She explains how being a young carer affects her at school: “I’ve missed homework deadlines because I’ve been looking after my mum and dad. When I’m in class I worry that my parents are ok, especially my mum as I keep thinking she might fall over if she tries to walk and will hurt herself. If the class has been naughty and we are all kept after school for detention, I worry that I’ll be late. I get a lump in my throat when I think my mum might be worried waiting for me. It makes me feel sad.”

Many young carers feel that they are unsupported or misunderstood by their teachers who are often the first point of call in identifying young carers. Nearly half (39%) of the young carers questioned say there was not a single teacher at their school who knew they were a young carer, and of those whose teachers did know, more than half (52%) do not feel supported by them. Over three-fifths (60%) do not think their teacher would understand what life was like for them.

To address these issues, The Princess Royal Trust for Carers and The Children’s Society will be launching Supporting Young Carers: a resource for schools, as well as a poster campaign to run in all secondary schools across the UK in May.

Carole Cochrane, Chief Executive at The Princess Royal Trust for Carers says: “It is shocking to discover that so many young carers have to endure bullying, mental health problems and a lack of support from their teachers, all because they care for a family member who is unable to cope without their help.

“Sadly, without the right support, many young carers will underachieve or drop out of school altogether, which has a long and enduring impact on their future prospects.

“The aim of this resource is to empower schools to start identifying and supporting young carers. We know that when school staff are involved in supporting young carers it can make a huge difference to their lives.”

Bob Reitemeier, Chief Executive of The Children’s Society says: “This resource will support schools to ensure that young carers are helped to achieve their full potential and to have the same access to education as their peers.

“The resource will also encourage vital partnership working with other agencies in order to provide support for the whole family. We want to protect children from excessive inappropriate caring roles; enabling them to be children first and to have good childhoods.”

For more information, or interviews with a case study or spokesperson, please contact: Sarah Ross, PR Manager at The Princess Royal Trust for Carers on 0208 498 7920 / 07791 230 694 / sross@carers.org

The project is looking at the causes and treatment of oesophageal and gastric cancer. This research will help identify risk factors for these tumours that might be preventable. Moreover, the research will provide data on how the treatment can be improved, particularly the surgical therapy.

We would like to hear from people who have experience of oesophageal or gastric cancers. You could be a current or past patient or perhaps a carer or family member of someone who has been a patient.

What would it involve?

You would be invited to attend an informal meeting with some of the research staff who will explain the project to you and ask for your advice and comments on certain aspects of the research. This will include commenting on the research design and reviewing written materials to ensure they are clear and understandable for research participants.

You are not being asked to take part in the research, but to advise our team about how to carry out the research to best suit other patients.

When and where will it take place?

The meeting will take place in the first two weeks of June 2010. The date has yet to be confirmed but you can register your interest and we will contact you to confirm a date and time in due course. The meeting will last a maximum of 2 hours.

It will be held at Guy’s Hospital in our café space on the 16th Floor. Refreshments will be provided and we will also reimburse your travel expenses.

For further information and to register your interest please contact Sophie Auckland on 0207 188633 or email sophie.auckland@gstt.nhs.uk

Over two thirds of young carers have had to cope with bullying at school, according to new research carried out by The Princess Royal Trust for Carers and The Children’s Society.

More than half of the young carers surveyed felt unsupported or misunderstood by their teachers. Even more worryingly, 39% said that none of the teachers at their school were even aware of their caring role.

The Princess Royal Trust for Carers and The Children’s Society are today launching a new information pack ‘Supporting Young Carers: a resource for schools’ alongside a poster campaign to run in all secondary schools across the UK, to help address some of these issues.

“It is shocking to discover that so many young carers have to endure bullying, mental health problems and a lack of support from their teachers, all because they care for a family member who is unable to cope without their help.” says Carole Cochrane, Chief Executive at The Trust.

“Sadly, without the right support, many young carers will underachieve or drop out of school altogether, which has a long and enduring impact on their future prospects.

“The aim of this resource is to empower schools to start identifying and supporting young carers. We know that when school staff are involved in supporting young carers it can make a huge difference to their lives.”

The survey of 700 6-18 year-olds also revealed that:

• 60% do not think their teachers understand what life is like for them
• Over 50% do not feel supported, although teachers are aware of their caring role
• 38% worry about the person they care for while they are at school

A resounding 70% of the young people surveyed agreed with the statement that “being a young carer has made my life more difficult”.

Further information

Find out more about the information pack: Young Carers: a resource for schools

Would you like to be part of the Southwark Carers team for this years Thames Walk for Carers?

Taking place on Sunday 13th June the walk takes in many of London’s famous landmarks.

Starting at the Scoop by City Hall (London Bridge) and stretching over 3, 6 or 9 miles.

The walk starts at 10am and as part of the event we will be asking walkers to fundraise in order to buy a new computer for the Carers Resource Centre at Cambridge House.

If you are interested in joining the team please call Rob Danavell on 020 7708 4497

Full details of the route and a fundraising form can be found below.
Thames Walk for Carers 2010 Sponsorship Form
Thames Walk for Carers 2010 Route

Would you like some help? Can’t tell your email from your elbow?

Inspire are running a series of computing courses for the over 50s in their new computer suite.

Beginners Life Skills IT
Wednesdays 10:30 am – 12pm
8 week course 12/5/2010 – 30/7/2010
Please call for further information or to book a place.

Intermediate Life Skills IT
Wednesdays 1pm – 2:30pm
8 week course 12/5/2010 – 30/7/2010
Please call for further information or to book a place.

Drop in IT
Wednesdays 2:30pm – 4pm
8 weeks 12/5/2010 – 30/7/2010
Please call for further information or just turn up.

Inspire, The Crypt at St Peter’s, Liverpool Grove, SE17 2HH
020 7740 6868
Jayne@in-spire.org.uk

The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) is working in partnership with The Princess Royal Trust for Carers across the UK to raise awareness of the need to support carers in primary care.

The publication Supporting Carers: An action guide for general practitioners and their teams, produced by the RCGP and The Trust, and distributed by the Department of Health in 2009 to every GP practice in England, has made great progress in helping GPs and their teams to identify and support carers.

There is, however, still much work to do to raise GPs’ awareness and so we are delighted to announce the inaugural “Caring about Carers Award” for those GPs and practice teams who provide an excellent service to carers.

This will be a prestigious high-profile award resulting in a winner for each home nation and an overall UK-wide winner. Awards will be presented at the RCGP’s Annual Conference in October in front of an audience of more than 1000 GPs. The Trust’s President Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal will sign a certificate for the winning general practitioners and their teams and the prize will also include a commemorative plaque to display in surgeries.

GPs must be nominated by one of their patients to be eligible for an award. Please encourage carers in your area to nominate their GP or practice team by writing to us at the contact details below, including,

• their name, address, telephone number.
• their doctor’s name and surgery contact details.
• how their GP supports them in their caring role

The closing date for entries is 11th June, 2010.

All nominations should be either emailed to caringaboutcarers@rcgp.org.uk or sent by postal address to:
Caring About Carers Award 2010
The Royal College of General Practitioners
14 Princes Gate
Hyde Park
London SW7 1PU

Once nominated, GPs and practice teams will be asked to complete a ten question self assessment checklist. This will be a shorter version of the checklist featured in Supporting Carers: An action guide for general practitioners and their teams available at The Trust’s website dedicated solely for professionals working with carers at www.carers.org/professionals.

The closing date for entries is 11th June, 2010.

Pontin’s are providing three Classic self-catering apartments for Southwark Carers to give a family a weekend break. Each apartment can sleep up to four people. Apartments contain bedroom, lounge with TV, bathroom and kitchenette with full size cooker and fridge. The apartments sleep up to four people – two in the bedroom and two on bed settee in lounge.

Read more

As part of our new service agreement with Southwark Council we are being asked to complete full registration and support plans for all new and existing carers.

If you would like to complete your own registration and support form, they can be found below. The Word version can be downloaded and filled in on your computer for you to email back to us or you can choose to print off the pdf file to complete and mail using our freepost address.

If you have any problems with the form please let us know and we will help you to complete it.

Carers Registration and Support Form to print

Carers Registration and Support Form (word)

Carers Week is again organising a photography competition for young carers 18 and under.

This competition is a great chance for young carers to escape from their daily routine and use photography to give a snapshot of their lives.

Your photo can be about any aspect of your life. Entries must be received by Monday 31st May.

The winners this year will all receive cash prizes, a digital camera and accessories, and also on offer is an all-expenses paid trip to Parliament.

Send your photo and entry form to zoom@carersweek.org or by post to Zoom 2010, Carers Week, 20 Great Dover Street, London SE1 4LX

Download your entry form from www.carersweek.org/carers or call 0845 241 2582.
Zoom 2010 leaflet

The Childcare affordability programme 2009 (CAP09) has been set up to help parents moving into employment with childcare costs. Started in December 2009 the scheme helps eligible Southwark residents who are on low income move into employment, by offering up to 12 months worth of childcare bursaries, paid directly to the childcare provider.

To be eligible for CAP09 funding, parents must meet the following criteria:

• Southwark residents (with recourse to public funds)
• With child/children aged between 0-14 years old (16 years for those with SEN)
• Income less than £20,000 in the last 12 months
• Entering full time employment (in excess of 16 hours per week)
• Accessing childcare at an Ofstead registered childcare provider (with a minimum Ofstead rating of satisfactory)

To make it really easy for the person you wish to refer to the childcare support scheme simply ask them to call the freephone number below for an informal chat about accessing CAP09 funding.

Freephone: 0800 013 0639