A YEAR of hard work to develop a supportive network for young carers at a Swindon primary school has seen them presented with an award.

The Young Carer Award, designed in consultation with Young Carers Swindon, was presented to the team at Rodbourne Cheney Primary School earlier this month.

A young carer is someone aged 18 or under who helps look after a relative who needs extra help at home because of a disability or illness or perhaps a mental health condition or addiction.

Most young carers look after one of their parents or care for a brother or sister.

Fiona Prinzi, from Swindon Carers Centre, said: “This started out as a pilot project in 2011, we realised that schools didn’t have a full understanding of the role of young carers.

“The award helps to recognise the work schools have done since then to improve awareness levels and the improvements they have made.”

The presentation is the culmination of twelve months progress towards the third, and highest, standard of young carer integration at the school.

The steps taken at Rodbourne Cheney include the introduction of group sessions for those young carers at the school where they can come out of lessons to do activities, to get a break and importantly to mix and talk with other carers.

Fiona added: “Schools across Swindon have really changed their approach, it wasn’t that they didn’t want to help before it was just that a lot of work needed to be done to increase understanding.

“75 percent of young carers still remain hidden and we’ve seen a huge rise in the number who have been discovered as a result of these school programmes.

“Some schools increased their number of young carers by 300 percent which just goes to show the number of hidden carers.”

700 young carers are registered with bodies in Swindon and are able to receive appropriate support but it is believed there are at least 2,000 in all.

Gabby Trout, teacher and young carer lead at Rodbourne Cheney Primary, said: “I’ve been quite shocked by how many young carers there are, suddenly things seem to make sense when you know more about their home situation.

“These might be children who don’t always bring their homework, struggle academically or have trouble concentrating – you are just able to support them so much more.

“The children love coming to the group, they particularly enjoy having the opportunity to talk to each other.”

A concern in schools is always that anything setting a pupil apart as different in some way can lead to bullying or isolation.

The programme that Rodbourne Cheney has successfully completed works to include the whole school in discussions around young carers by holding assemblies and fostering understanding.

Gabby added: “The award is great but the important thing is we’re doing more for these kids – they are doing something amazing and it’s important we recognise that.”