At Warwickshire Young Carers, we understand that supporting a young carer often means supporting the whole family. Our Family Support service provides early help and preventative support for families referred to us for young people aged 6 and over, often at the beginning of their journey. Our aim is to help reduce risk within the family, create a more stable home environment, and make sure young carers receive the right support at the right time.
We know that reducing inappropriate caring responsibilities cannot be achieved by focusing on the young person alone. That is why we take a whole family approach, looking at the wider circumstances of each family and offering bespoke support based on individual needs. We aim to identify young carers early, understand the challenges they may be facing, and put together a support package that is holistic, tailored and joined-up.
Our team works closely with families, educational settings and other professionals to build a clearer picture of need and to make sure the right support is in place. Some families may already be known to social care or be receiving Early Help support, and where appropriate we will work alongside those services to complement and strengthen the support available.
We use a multidisciplinary approach, working with other services and professionals, drawing on the expertise of partner organisations and professionals who can also support the family. Our assessment process is simple and easy to follow, helping us to understand more about the young carer, their family life, their worries, and any additional needs that may require further support or signposting.
As part of our Family Support offer, we also provide opportunities for parents and carers to connect with others through our Wellbeing Hub parent networking groups. These friendly, informal meetings take place quarterly in each district and give parents the chance to build supportive local connections, share experiences, access information about community opportunities, and hear from local charities and providers through short workshops and presentations.
Our goal is to help families feel better supported, less isolated and more confident in accessing the help they need. By working with the whole family, we can help create a safer, more stable environment for the young carer and reduce the pressure of age-inappropriate caring responsibilities.
How We Can Help
Family support may include:
- early help and preventative support
- a whole family approach tailored to individual needs
- working alongside social care, schools and other professionals
- identifying additional needs and signposting to other services
- support to help reduce inappropriate caring responsibilities
- parent networking opportunities through Wellbeing Hubs
Our Approach
We believe that every family’s situation is different. That is why we work in a flexible, supportive and compassionate way, building support around the needs of the young carer and their family. Our focus is on early identification, partnership working and helping families access the right help as soon as possible.