How essential breaks bring young carers together

PROJECT

MyTime Making Memories programme

PURPOSE

To provide young carers aged five to 18 with breaks from their caring responsibilities and the opportunity to meet others with similar experiences

FUNDING

The charity raises funds from multiple sources including trusts and foundations, corporate partners, and gifts in kind from local businesses. In 2021/22 it raised £467,564

BACKGROUND

An estimated 800,000 children and young people aged five to 17 in England have caring responsibilities, playing a key role in supporting a parent, relative, sibling or other loved one. They often have limited time to socialise and do activities enjoyed by their peers. Recent surveys of young carers found 80 per cent felt their participation in leisure activities suffered due to their caring responsibilities, 72 per cent reported feeling lonely while 48 per cent said their role caused them to feel stressed.

Dorset charity MyTime Young Carers runs a range of activities for young carers, including an online youth group. It developed the Making Memories programme to give young carers the chance to leave the house, learn new skills and relax.

“It's really about having fun and about building a community with other young carers so they know they’re not alone,” says Making Memories programme manager Elaine Snow.

ACTION

MyTime has a core calendar of Making Memories events during the school holidays, as well as running trips and outings in term time. Activities on offer range from small group activities, such as craft workshops for about 20 children, to large-scale, day-long events.

It has established relationships with local leisure facilities, such as outdoor activities site Adventure Pirate in Poole. In summer, young people enjoy water sports, such as paddle boarding. The charity also runs training courses such as self-defence. A highlight of the year is an annual picnic that young carers’ families are also invited to attend.

Last summer, MyTime held its first festival. “We have access to a retreat centre in the Purbeck Hills so we took 80 young carers out there,” says Snow.

“Over the day we had big inflatables, face painting, a barbeque and music – children could be free and wander around and take part in whatever they wanted.”

Snow works hard to programme activities that make young carers feel as comfortable and safe as possible. “I want young people to come away saying they met some really cool young people and they weren't worried or anxious,” she says. For February half term this year she convinced an ice rink to give the charity exclusive use of the facility before its opening time.

MyTime currently covers areas served by Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council and Dorset Council. It ensures activities have spaces for young carers registered with both councils but also actively seeks to include children who are not registered.

The charity considers a young carer to be anyone who supports another person in a household. This could be any relative, and their needs may differ and include physical or mental health problems. However, council thresholds for registering carers vary.

“Council thresholds often include a certain level of personal care, which isn't something that every young carer does,” says Snow. “We believe the child might not be doing that personal care every day. But they’re still likely to have to think about things differently compared with a child without caring responsibilities.”

Many unregistered carers find the charity through its Level Up programme for schools, which provides training for teachers and other staff on how to identify and support young carers. “Teachers can refer young carers to us and young carers also find us themselves through our websites,” says Snow.

Sometimes children cannot join an activity because of their caring responsibilities. But Snow says parents are generally able to make arrangements for their children to have a break, even for residential stays of up to three days. The charity organises transport to collect children from homes or pick-up points, to ensure travel is no barrier to attendance. Carers registered with councils are supported by the authorities’ own transport arrangements.

Events are staffed by MyTime employees – who have all completed safeguarding training – and volunteers from the charity's corporate sponsors. All of the organisation's leadership team are former teachers. “Having familiar faces on our team is really important and something our young carers say they really enjoy,” says Snow.

Because children are often involved with the charity for several years, staff can risk-assess what is best for each individual. “We have one young boy, for example, who gets easily overwhelmed as a result of his turbulent home life,” says Snow. “We have found he does really well in smaller groups and when we see him consistently.”

OUTCOME

MyTime asks participants in its Making Memories events to complete feedback surveys after each event. Average survey results from 25 Making Memories activity days that took place from April 2022, catering for a total of 330 young carers, found 96 per cent enjoyed the day “very much” while 93 per cent said they felt less stressed. More than eight out of 10 – 85 per cent – of participants said they made a new friend while 95 per cent said they “believe in themselves more” as a result of taking part.

WHAT’S NEXT

MyTime has been focusing on expanding its reach to non-registered young carers but is also looking to expand its geographical reach and plans to launch Making Memories activities on the Isle of Wight.

The charity is also expanding its Level Up programme for schools and has started working with academy chains, including offering online teacher training which can be accessed from anywhere in England.

“We aspire to be able to do what we’re doing all over the country in the future,” says Snow. “We see so much happiness and positive outcomes for young carers.”

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EXPERIENCE
YOUNG CARER NICOLE HAS MADE CLOSE FRIENDS ON DAYS OUT

Nicole's parents have chronic illnesses that limit them physically. Her mother was diagnosed when Nicole was aged six, and her father about two years ago.

Looking after the household falls to Nicole, 16, and her two brothers, one younger, one older. “Of course other children do chores,” says Nicole. “But for us it's not a choice – my parents can't do it. They’re reliant on us.”

Nicole's mother has mental health problems that affect her memory. Nicole helps her remember what she needs to do. “I have to know everything about mum's life so she can live hers,” she says.

The parents’ conditions fluctuate, making life unpredictable. “If we have plans, we don't really know until the day itself if they’re going to happen,” says Nicole. “I have to cancel on friends if mum suddenly gets worse.”

Despite this situation, Nicole's caring role went unnoticed until she was eight. After experiencing some difficulties at school, a pastoral worker discovered her parents’ situation. They introduced Nicole to MyTime before her local council officially registered her as a carer.

Nicole's first Making Memories experience was a trip to Adventure Pirate. “I didn't know any of the other children,” she says. “It was nerve-wracking, but I knew some of the staff, and immediately felt like it was just a day out with friends.”

Nicole has attended six or seven events every year since. She has made many close friends. “I didn't know anybody else in the same position as me before,” she says. “We chat about anything but sometimes I have got advice and we’ve discussed our own situations.”

If it was not for Making Memories, Nicole says she would not go on any days out or holidays. “This is really my only time out,” she says. “When I’m older I definitely want to carry on as a volunteer.”