Multi-agency Panel: Young carer missing school to help mum

THE SITUATION

Karen is a single parent with multiple sclerosis (MS). Her main carer is her daughter — 11-year-old Stephanie. Karen used to be able to get about a lot more, but her condition deteriorated recently, and she now needs to use a wheelchair most of the time. Stephanie was doing well at school but her attendance has become quite patchy, her schoolwork has suffered and she has dropped out of after-school activities like netball, which she used to enjoy. Teachers say she is quiet and withdrawn and has few friends.

Meanwhile, Karen urgently needs some adaptations to the family home. At the moment she cannot easily get into the kitchen in her wheelchair and struggles to use the downstairs shower room, making her less independent and causing her to rely on Stephanie at lot more.

How would you help this family?

THE RESPONSE

The children's social worker - Lucy Kimber

This is a hard situation for both Karen and Stephanie. Coping as a single parent and having MS would be very challenging.

I would start with a referral to adult social services to see if Karen can get some support for the urgent adaptations to her house, and help within the home to ease some of the pressure on Stephanie.

I would refer Stephanie to the young carer's project in her area. This would give her the chance to talk about her experiences with other young carers but also time for herself away from home. Such groups help young people realise they are not the only ones coping with a difficult situation at home, and allow them to simply be young people for the time they are there.

I would also look into getting Stephanie a support worker who would be able to help improve her attendance at school, or support her at after-school clubs to help boost her self-esteem. And I would want to meet staff at Stephanie's school to discuss any extra support or help they could provide.

Lucy Kimber is a social worker in the children and families division, Southampton City Council

The adult services social worker - Joe Godden

Stephanie is a child in need and her mother meets the criteria for a community care assessment. Adult and children's services need to work together, with the voluntary sector.

I would be looking to ensure Stephanie can lead the normal life of an 11-year-old and was receiving emotional and practical support. Trafford Young Carers would be able to offer support to Stephanie - a chance to share her concerns, meet other young people in a similar situation and develop resilience to cope better.

Karen needs to be able to share her concerns, including discussing Stephanie's situation. These issues should be discussed as part of the community care assessment, which requires a range of skills and knowledge. Karen and Stephanie may be worried about accepting some services and this must be acknowledged.

Finally, I would want to know that both Stephanie and Karen know where to go to get support and advice in the future.

Joe Godden is training officer at Trafford Carers Centre and a policy officer for the British Association of Social Workers

The young carer - Kike Famuyiwa

I'm a young carer so I understand what Stephanie is going through. I look after my mum and my sister. It can be really hard, but she needs to remember she is still a child and should be focusing on her health and her future, as well as her mum.

As for missing school, Stephanie must realise that education is a really important factor for a child to succeed in later life. She should tell her teachers that she is a carer. They will give her permission to call her mum if she's worried about her during school, or they may let her extend a homework deadline.

If she is struggling to balance caring and school work, she could talk to her mum about paying for a care worker to help her.

My young carers' service has really helped me. I have met other young carers who know what I am going through and I can always talk to my support workers about anything that is bothering me too.

Stephanie should ask her mum to help her find a young carers' service. There is a lot of help available, you just have to trust people and stay true to yourself.

Kike Famuyiwa is supported by the Princess Royal Barnet Carer's Trust

The education social worker - Julie Parrish

I would want to ensure Stephanie's poor attendance and the deterioration in her wellbeing were addressed, especially following her transition to secondary school.

During home visits, a holistic assessment could be done, using the common assessment framework. This would progress to a "team around the child" meeting with the full involvement of Karen and Stephanie, which would seek to secure appropriate support.

This would involve addressing Karen's needs with adult services, and support for Stephanie, which might include a young carers' project, buddying schemes and support to get her involved in activities again. I would work with school staff and ask for sensitivity and understanding about absence, lateness and homework.

Being a young carer may make Stephanie feel 'different' from her peers and she may want to hide this aspect of her life.

Julie Parrish is area operations manager for the education social work services in North Yorkshire and member of the National Association of Social Workers in Education's national council

The MS nurse - Pauline Shaw

I would refer Karen to an occupational therapist in social services for a home assessment. She may need her kitchen and bathroom adapted to make them wheelchair-accessible. I would also make a referral to social services to ensure she is getting her benefits, such as direct payments for personal care.

Stephanie may be shopping for her mum. There might be a local shopping service that can help and I would find out if Karen has internet access to shop online.

As an MS nurse specialist, I would want to make sure there was no underlying cause for Karen's recent deterioration and review her treatment. She may be depressed. There may be a local support group or internet forum.

I would want to put Stephanie in touch with her local young carers group. She might also benefit from seeing a child psychologist. There is a lot of literature for young people from charities about MS. I would tell Karen about it but leave it up to her to decide if it is the right time to tell Stephanie more.

Pauline Shaw is an MS nurse specialist for Southwark Provider Services