Step 3

The SLT and governing body are accountable for ensuring the school provides a highly cohesive learning environment which fosters equal opportunities and meets the diverse needs of the pupils at the school.

To fulfil this role effectively, the SLT and governing body should be aware that many pupils attending their school will have caring responsibilities.

It is crucial that the development and implementation of the school’s provision for young carers is led at an SLT and governing body level so that:

• Young carers’ needs are reflected in whole school planning and, where appropriate, the whole school improvement plan.
• The school has an inclusive environment where young carers and their families feel comfortable and safe to tell staff about their caring role and access support (stigma is a commonly cited reason for young carers keeping their caring role hidden).
• There is appropriate timetabling of staff training and curriculum planning.
• Use of school resources such as the Pupil Premium funding to target young carers.
• All school staff know how to identify young carers, for example, office staff can identify a young carer when registering a late pupil, the School Attendance Officer can recognise potential young carers when discussing attendance issues with pupils and/or teachers notice signs that a pupil is a young carer
  (see Step 7).
• All staff know what action they can take within their everyday practice to support pupils with caring responsibilities, for example office staff pass on messages to pupils from a family member, when appropriate; and teaching staff are flexible, for instance, around negotiating homework deadlines (see Step 6, Tool 1).
• There are appropriate protocols for sharing information between staff so the young carer does not have to repeat their story.
• Links are made with wider school policy to ensure alignment with the school’s approach to meeting the needs of young carers and their families (see Step 5, Tool 3).

• Tool 1: Young Carers Senior Leadership Team Lead duties checklist.
• Tool 2: Exemplar introductory letter to governors about young carers.
• Tool 3: Role and responsibilities of a governing body: ensuring effective provision for young carers and their families.
• Tool 4: Checklist to support governing bodies evaluating the effectiveness of their school’s provision for young carers and their families.
• Tool 5: Targeting Pupil Premium support to young carers: Good practice examples.

You will also need to ensure that the SLT and governing body are familiar with the information about young carers issues contained in Step 1: Gaining an understanding about young carers.

The SLT may also want to look at Step 4: Introducing a Young Carers School Operational Lead. Step 4 provides further information about designating a member of staff who is responsible for the day-to-day management of the school’s provision for young carers and their families. Depending on its size and organisational structure, the school may want to incorporate this role at senior leadership level.