Earlier this month, Notre Dame attended the first Leeds Young Carers Partnership Forum. Th event reviewed the support for young carers and their families in Leeds, celebrating the amazing work that has already been achieved in Young Carer Friendly settings. We were invited due to the number of referrals sent through this year and we were asked to share the challenges of identifying young carers, the solutions put in place and any future plans to further raise the profile of young carers.
Notre Dame has the 'Young Carer Friendly' status and strives to identify young carers at the earliest point of their journey through College. All possible young carer identification is reported to the Safeguarding team via CPOMS or by phone. Once identified, students can be provided with mental health/counselling services or further external support and referrals to Leeds Young Carers.
Joe, an Upper Sixth student at Notre Dame was identified as a young carer in September 2025. Gareth Lloyd, Safeguarding Officer, then completed a young carers assessment tool to gauge his level of responsibility. This showed that he had excessive responsibilities and the support he required was beyond what College could offer, so a referral to Leeds Young Carers was made. Once approved, Joe was assigned a Young Carer Support Worker, who provide specialist family support, an outcome focused plan and any associated support. This aims to reduce the level of care a young person is providing, and to ensure the cared for person has the right support and care in place. Joe received 6 months of support and continues to access some group work now.
Joe shared his and his mum's story at the forum. The emotional story resonating with everyone in the room and highlighted how a traumatic event could change the life of an adult to the extent that they become highly reliant on a young person for daily support. Joe articulated himself extremely well and explained the emotional and mental impact the situation had on him, especially as he had no idea who to turn to for help, until he attended Notre Dame. The event showcased the fantastic steps we have introduced so far and what we want to offer in the future.
The event provided an opportunity to share good practice, improving the support for Young Carers across Leeds.
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