GUIDELINES FOR REFERRERS
Who is a Young Carer?’The term young carer should be taken to include children and young people under 18 who provide ongoing care and emotional support to a family member who is physically or mentally ill, disabled or misuses substances… a young carer becomes vulnerable when the level of care-giving and responsibility to the person in need of care becomes excessive or inappropriate for that child, risking impacting on his or her emotional or physical well-being or educational achievement and life chances’
(children’s Society, hidden from view, 2013)
Derbyshire Young Carers’ Service provides support to Young Carers across the county.
To meet the eligibility criteria forDerbyshire Young Carers Service, children and young people must meet the following:
-Undertaking caring tasks that would be considered over and above what would be expected for their age or level of development and are
-Experiencing anegative impact on their lives linked to their caring role
Children and Young People may not be eligible:
-If there is no parental/guardian consent (as appropriate)
-If caring responsibilities are due to neglect or parenting difficulties
Anyone can make a referral (including family members).
Parental permission is needed for those under 18 years.
A request for confidential advice and information will be considered for those under 18 years if appropriate. A discussion with the Young Carers’ Service team is encouraged if there is any doubt regarding eligibility, in order to avoid any potential disappointment to the family.
On receipt of a referral, the Young Carers’ Team staff will contact the family as soon as possible. If after this contact, we are not able to offer support, we will endeavour to inform the referrer and we will write to the family to let them know of this decision, as appropriate.
If the young person meets the eligibility criteria, they will be assessed for support under the categories of high, medium and low priority.
All young people will be offered a home visit assessment prior to any support being provided.
Those young carers within our priority groups (over 15 hours of care, studying for GCSEs/A-levels, transition ages, single parent households, caring for multiple family members) will be offered support which includes 1:1 contact, social activities, advocacy support and specialist group-work.
The Young Carers Team is always looking to develop support services on offer and explore funding for this work.
Where there are adults in the family with a caring role, they will also be signposted to Derbyshire Carers for support, which would have a family focus.
A waiting list is in operation. This assists in the management of the high number of referrals received and enables the organising of appropriate support. There are some situations where support can be offered more immediately and this will need to be discussed with the Young Carers Team.Any recent Social Care Single Assessment or EHAassessmentinvolving the young person or the cared for person should be completed and submitted with the referral (with the family’s permission).
Any Young Carer who has their own health issues or special needs will be supported as deemed appropriate following a family assessment.
Our referral form needs to be completed for each young person (including those within the same family) being referred.
These forms can be sent via post or e-mail:
The family can, if preferred, make a referral via the phone on 01773 833833
If the young person meets the eligibility criteria, they will be assessed for support under the categories below:
Level 1 (*At Risk/High Priority)
- Primary Young Carers who are providing a minimum of 15 hours of personal and/or emotional care
- Any Young Carers being significantly affected by a caring situation, e.g. missing school, poor attainment, health problems, bullying and who are approaching important milestones such as GCSE’s/A levels or transitions in their lives.
- Young Carers in a single parent household or caring for multiple family members.
Level 2 (Medium)
- Young carers who are providing below 15 hours of personal and/or emotional care.
- Young carers are impacted by their caring role but have social outlets and support mechanisms in place.
Level 3 (Low)
- These young people are usually referred to as “secondary” Carers.
Sibling Carers would usually be within this category or where another parent is the primary carer.
Level 4 (Inappropriate for service – or non-Young Carers)
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