Barnardo's Thrive Young Carer's Group

Summary

We will run weekly groups in Inverclyde for 30 children and young people (8-16 years) with caring responsibilities. The young carers will benefit from having protected, regular time away from their home and caring responsibilities; to build their confidence, develop skills and interests, make friend

What Barnardo's Thrive Young Carer's Group did

Through a successful co-working partnership with Inverclyde Health & Social Care Partnership (HSCP) we worked closely alongside their Young Carers worker. This partnership worked in generating suitable referrals, provided the staff with knowledge of the needs of young carers, and supported the staff in group delivery and attending the young carer's festival. Further to this our working partnership with the Young Carer's worker ensured that the service was working in compliance of Inverclyde's Carer & Young Carer Strategy 2017 - 2022 developed in recognition of the role and contribution carers make it also enabled us to attend the Carers Alliance conferences in Perth to network with other young carers services throughout Scotland. In addition to the referrals received through the Young Carer's worker we also received referrals from local schools, other external agencies and Barnardo’s Nurture services.

The service provided 40 weeks of young carer's groups, (group 1 @ 8-13 years & group 2 @ 13-16 years delivered on alternate weeks. Due to the demand on space within our own premises the group sessions were held at Barnardo’s Nurture service premises, immediately adjacent to our own premises. A range of activities and outings was chosen by the young people themselves including:

• Pantomime/Theatre trips
• Young Carers Festival
• Arts and crafts
• Drama workshops
• Chill out & Food Parties
• Cooking Workshops
• Funworld
• Laser Tag
• Camping
• Complimentary Therapies Workshop
• Social Group
• Games nights
• Sports night
• Pool
• Murder mystery Night
• Music workshop
• Discos
• Petting Zoo
• Film School
• Restaurant Trips
• Cinema
• Alcohol and Drugs Awareness Workshop
•
B’arty Art exhibition

Many of the above activities/trips were facilitated by West College Scotland, Beacon Arts, Rig Arts, Inverclyde Drug and Alcohol team and other local agencies/resources who through our extensive partnerships provided free professional services. This meant that the young carer's could access a wider range of activities that they would not be able to access ordinarily due to financial challenge

What Barnardo's Thrive has learned

Unexpected benefits
This fund has enabled us to provide support for over 30 young carers across the Inverclyde area that were not able to access any other groups of this nature. Through the young carer's accessing the group Thrive services have been able to provide other family members with additional supports funded through our other aspects of service provision such as siblings accessing our sibling support groups. This meant that not only were the young carer's receiving support, but that their siblings were also provided with a much needed service that met their needs to alleviate the stress and strain that comes from having a caring role. Our whole systems approach ensures that we have an in depth knowledge and understanding of the impact of disability, ill health and life limiting or progressive conditions on the lives of young carer' and their families.

Having the funding for the young carer's groups has provided us, as a service, with an opportunity to develop new local partnerships. This has been particularly beneficial as we were able to provide a much wider range of activities and events through our partners delivering a variety of inputs to the young carer's all at no additional costs. Working in this way has been an effective use of resources, responsible stewardship with our activities budget for the young carers, and this has meant that we have provided a high level of additional value to the young carers attending the service.

How We Have Made our Service More Personalised

By taking into account the wants and needs of our young carers, and using a person centered approach, we are able to tailor the groups to the young people themselves and use the funds to organize events and activities that specifically catered to their interests. A range of tools and approaches was used to ensue that each young person was supported to put forward their ideas in a way that ensured they are heard. The young Carers provided some ideas and plans for future sessions together using a flipchart and “facebook thumbs” which was imagery and a medium they are familiar with, and could identify with easily . They each put “like” thumbs beside the activity suggestions to vote for future group plans. This was one tool that enabled them to shape their group ensuring their choices and views were respected.

Diversity
Within the service we celebrate and promote diversity and equality and this permeates through our policies, procedures, values and practice. We encourage and support the children, young people and their families who use the service to be proud of who they are. Our services are tailored to the individual needs of the service user and we continuously look to broaden children and young people’s opportunities in an inclusive manner.

To date there has been some fluctuation in attendance at some groups and having followed this up with individual young carer’s the reasons that they have provided included exams, part-time jobs, and their caring roles. Our responses to this have been to continue to provide an empathetic and supportive approach to individual children and young people that help them to feel accepted and listened to.
Another sad fact of being a young carer is that often the cared for person passes away due to their illness. This has unfortunately been the case for a few of our young carers who are now dealing with the tragic loss of their family members. The young people continue to be able to access our group and also one to one emotional and practical support from The young carer’s worker to support them through this difficult time. Many of our young carers have been able to access our small emergency in house grants to help ease the financial burden during this time, this has enabled young people to buy suitable funeral wear, supplies etc. in addition to this we were able to signpost young people to bereavement services while still offering support throughout.

How Barnardo's Thrive has benefitted from the funding

The success of the service was recognised by the local authority and other local agencies. This resulted in them providing us with additional funding to offer the service out to more young carers. It was recognised by the Local Authority that our service was filling a significant service gap for Young Carers and was the only service of its kind in the area. We had an unprecedented number of referrals for Young Carers which was not quantifiable during the application process. This resulted in a waiting list. With the additional funding we were able to facilitate an extra group a week to meet the high demand for this service.

The Young Carers strategy implementation officer for Scotland , visited the group to ask the young people their opinions and views on what the government currently provide for them as young carers she asked them their hope and wishes for the future as young carers. The young people expressed that they wished they could attend the group weekly instead of fortnightly and that they would like a better budget to enjoy outings in the community and trips. The young people also expressed that some leniency at school would be a good support to enable them to balance their education and caring role effectively. This was a worthwhile connection as we were able to allow the young peoples voices to be heard and to strengthen our organisations reputation with regards to the service we were able to offer the young carers in line with the young carers strategy.

Some of the members of the Teen group ,from spending time within the Barnardo’s premises, have now expressed an interest in volunteering opportunities within our service, which would build upon their professional and developmental skills, and create job skills to enhance the young people’s future employability.

We were given an Art exhibition opportunity, from annual pantomime attendance we made a connection with BBC’s actors who appeared as special guests at our Collaborative art exhibition at Beacon Arts theatre. The well-known actor made a speech to officially open the show, and had meet and greets with all the families in attendance. The young carer’s original art piece was displayed at the exhibition for two weeks and viewed by many this was a great source of pride and an accomplishment which built up their confidence and self-esteem and was given great recognition in the local press.

Rig Arts company who create and deliver a dynamic programme of visual arts, film media projects, workshops, lessons, training events and exhibitions and who are also extensively involved in the urban regeneration of Inverclyde, offered us free Art workshops and also a 6 week Film School project, where the young people were able to write ,produce and perform in their own short film.

We were able to take part in joint working alongside the carers centre for smooth transitions to adult groups for young carers to meet their needs throughout their role .

Project Outcomes

Outcome: 1

Outcome

Young carer’s aged 8-16 years will have increased opportunities to meet regularly with other young carer’s.

Results

We delivered 40 group sessions these were attended by 30 young carers, where they had an opportunity to relax and interact with young people with a similar caring role. This enabled them to build upon their peer support network and to ensure them that they were not alone in their challenges.
In addition to the 40 sessions we were able to deliver with the funding from Creative Breaks we also were able to provide an additional 20 weeks for 30 more young carers due to funding that we received from the local authority after they recognised the positive work and service we were providing for young carers in Inverclyde. We also recognised that there was a significant need for this service in our area and that no other service of its kind exists leading to a large number of referrals.

Case study

Case Study of Helen

Helen is a 12 year old young carer who has a dual caring role for her teenage brother who has autism and her mum who has a chronic lifelong condition and experiences seizures frequently.

Helen often experiences social isolation due to her caring role, and also feels that she cannot leave her brother and mum alone for too long due to the high level of support they can often require.

Before Helen attended the group she had very little opportunities to engage in social events and outings. Helen would often stay home and told us at the beginning during the care planning process that she didn’t go out as she worried for her mum and brother and she didn’t have any friends who understood her caring role and what it entailed. This resulted in Helen passing up opportunities with her peers at school and shying away from socialising.

Helen often experiences anxiety, and presents more mature than her chronological age of 12. Helen has had to grow up quickly to ensure she has been able to research the care her brother and mother can often need from her. Helen can often neglect her own needs especially social in order to make sure she is available and knowledgeable in her brother’s disability. Helen’s brother can often experience meltdowns which results in Helen being in the middle of conflict as he can often display signs of frustration towards Helen as they are together a lot. In this sense Helen often becomes the mediator to alleviate her brother’s emotional meltdowns and to give her mum some respite and to help her mum around the home with daily routine and chores although Helen is younger than her brother.

Since joining the young carers group Helen has had a chance to have time away from her often chaotic home environment and has been able to connect with other young carers who understand her role and the complexities and challenges that come along with it.

Through ongoing evaluation and recordings Helen has expressed to us that she feels less stressed than she did before group, and commented that when group is not available she finds her home life a bit more stressful and feels less able to cope knowing she does not have the much needed time for herself and her own interests and hobbies to look forward to.

In accordance with the carer’s strategy which states that “a young carer should be seen as a young person first and foremost,” Helen has been able to engage in activities of her choosing, as the young carers group is young person led. Helen and the other young people have taken part in many workshops that not only help sustain her caring role by focusing on transferable skills such as cooking etc but also in therapeutic and fun activities like, arts and crafts, trips to the cinema and out to eat. This has resulted in Helen making many like minded positive new friends that she now engages with outside of group. This means that Helen now visits neighbouring peers that she has met through group providing her with further respite opportunity and much needed social interaction.

Helen also attended a 2 day young carers festival which provided her with an opportunity to gain independence and confidence in a fun and safe setting away from home with other young people she now has positive connections with.

Helens mum told us she has noticed a positive change in Helen’s overall mood, confidence and her ability to manage her emotions and also in her ability to understand her brother’s emotions and condition. She told us that when Helen is at group it gives her a chance to “connect on a one to one basis with her son and understand him better while knowing Helen is safe and having fun with other young people like her”

“I have seen a change in Helen she is a lot more grown up, and is a lot more confident, she enjoys going out and meeting her friends and they come here to our home and she goes there and she didn’t have that before.”

Helen’s mother also told us;

“The group means really a lot to me if it wasn’t for the group I don’t know what the kids would do as it makes a big difference to every family. I don’t think Helen would have the same access to activities or other young carer’s services and supports without this group. There isn’t anything out there for young carers like this at the moment and Barnardo’s is one of the best things that has ever came about for family’s and I would recommend the organisation and Young carer group to any family.”

Outcome: 2

Outcome

Young Carers aged 8 - 18 years old will have increased opportunities to develop skills and confidence through regular activities

Results

During the 40 weeks we were able to provide a tailored service, providing the young people specific workshops that would support them in their caring role and in their personal lives. Due to engaging in cooking workshops, alcohol awareness and other such targeted skill based activities provided by ourselves and Community Learning development the young people built upon their knowledge base in several different areas. This built upon their confidence to engage in independent life skills and to also learn from each other through peer mentorship.

Case study

Case Study of Sky

Sky is an 11 year old girl who helps to care for her mum who has a mental health diagnosis and challenges with alcohol misuse. Skye also provides significant daily support for her 4 younger sibling’s one of whom has a complex disability.
During the care planning process Sky initially told us that she didn’t get much “peace and quiet” at home and that her home life was often hectic as she had very young siblings and her mum often had “bad days” and many complex health issues that impacted her negatively. Sky explained that she often felt lonely and bored and didn’t have anyone to speak to about her struggles at home. She felt as though there wasn’t anyone who could help or who understood her family and home life and the worries that this caused. Sky had very few positive peer relationships and often would choose to not attend school trips or outings as she remarked to ourselves and to her guidance teachers that she felt worried and stressed regarding leaving her mum and siblings at home without her help.
Sky presented as more mature for her age, and she found it particularly challenging to socially interact effectively with peers of her own age and was often quiet and appeared shy and having a low mood. At the first few group sessions Sky presented as tired and nervous. Although regularly attending, her participation during activities was low level, and she would often remain quiet and just watch others during games and outings.
The relaxed but supportive group setting supported Sky to start to "be herself" and her fun, friendly, affectionate and helpful personality began to shine through. She started to voice her opinions and make choices about what she wanted to participate in, and showed a real interest in taking part in relationship based drama workshops and arts and crafts. The ice breakers and one-to-one work focusing on social communication supported Sky in developing her confidence in starting conversations with her peers independently. Sky also began to show empathy to those around her and when new members joined the group she began to act as a mentor, welcoming them to the group and taking an interest in their lives by asking questions and offering insights into her own life and caring role.
Sky’s sense of self was supported throughout the 20 weeks and highlighted her unique worth and supported Sky to identify herself as a young carer. Sky could see that she had much to offer to the group in way of insight and ideas, and that she was valued greatly as part of the team.

Feedback from Sky indicated “I look forward to going to group and seeing my friends, it gives me a break from being around my younger siblings all the time, as I play with them a lot and help my mum around the house when she isn’t feeling well. I have made a friend at group who I am now in high school with and I have dinner at her house after school and get a lift to group with her now, I didn’t know any other young carers before and only had friends I seen in school who didn’t know about me and my caring”

Sky also added “If the group didn’t have enough funds to keep running me and my friend from group have talked about how we would try and raise funds with sponsored events as we really love the group and don’t want to stop coming to it”

Sky’s mum told us “Sky loves the group and looks forward to going to it, I feel less worried about Sky now as she has made a friend who lives nearby, and Sky now knows that I can cope at home just fine and she can be among people her own age and relax for a few hours”

Outcome: 3

Outcome

Young carer’s will have developed a range of sustainable peer relationships, and a peer support network.

Results

Through attending group the young people took part in various fun activities where they could learn and relax and in skill based workshops where they learned transferable life skills together. Engaging regularly in these activities alongside each other facilitated the formation of positive peer relationships. The young people were able to meet like minded individuals who shared a caring responsibility. Many young people and parents remarked that this was very important to them to learn that they were not alone and that others were experiencing similar stresses and challenges. Our young people now meet up independently outside of group and some even travel to and from group with each other. Many of our young people were transitioning from primary school to high school and forged friendships with other young carers that were going to the same school, from attending our group. A large number of our young carers remarked this made a positive impact on their ability to cope with change.

Case study