Step 4

As part of their wider role within the school, the Young Carers School Operational Lead should:

• Manage the school’s provision for young carers and their families on a day-to-day basis.
• Act as the main contact for young carers and their families in the school.
• Advise and support school staff about how to identify and support young carers.
• Be the contact point for external agencies, such as the school nurse and local young carers service, and feeder/linked schools, supporting effective inter-agency working to meet the needs of young carers and their families.

Depending on the size and structure of the school, SLTs may decide that the role of the Young Carers School Operational Lead should sit within the wider work of the school’s SLT or should be delegated to another member of staff. This may be, for example, your school’s Inclusion Manager or Officer, Pastoral Lead, SENCO, a Learning Mentor or another member of staff with specific interest in this work.

Step 4 Tool 1: Young Carers School Operational Lead duties checklist supports schools by setting out the actions that need to be carried out at an operational level to ensure the effective identification and support of young carers in schools.

In quantifying the post, your school may want to consider allocating an additional Teacher Learning Responsibility point to this role. As many young carers are eligible for Pupil Premium funding, schools may wish to consider use this funding stream to this end.

The Young Carers School Operational Lead should ensure they themselves understand young carers’ issues (see Step 1: Gaining an understanding about young carers).

Where the role is delegated, it is important that the Young Carers School Operational Lead is supported by a Young Carers Senior Leadership Team Lead.