I am a teacher and am becoming increasingly worried about a 12-year-old boy in my class, who I know looks after his mum who has mental health problems. He comes into school looking tired and wearing the same clothes for several days at a time. What should I do?
We know that there are up to 175,000 young carers in the UK, with almost a third of that figure looking after a parent with mental health issues.
It would be a good idea to start by helping him and his family to access a local young carers’ service, if one exists. They can help the family to find the support they need, so that his caring role can be reduced. Are there any other services that he can access, such as sports groups and youth services? Does the school have a counselling service available?
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
