Young carers in Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin have come together to produce a leaflet with information for other young people who care for family members. A creative workshop was held with the young people, and the resulting leaflet includes information for young carers or those who may not self-identify as young carers on one side, and information for staff on the other.
Research shows that young carers want to be treated as a young person first and an individual in their own right. They have also spoken of a need for a consistent approach for young carers in schools, to enable a better understanding of managing schoolwork and access to further support as needed. The new leaflet helps to address this and will be distributed in local schools and colleges.
Shropshire Council and Telford and Wrekin Council jointly applied for and gained funding from NHS England and were supported by Carers Trust4All and Telford Carers Centre to bring the young people together.
Shropshire Council’s Lee Chapman says, “This is a terrific piece of work produced by our young carers, and a great way to raise awareness in our schools and colleges. This also links to Shropshire’s All-Age Carers Strategy, where raising awareness of carers of all ages is a priority.”
