Supporting Young Carers

We understand every family is different

Some children and young people help care for a family member.

This might include offering emotional support, helping around the home, or assisting with day‑to‑day routines.

This may be due to a family member:

illness or disability
mental health needs
or other additional support needs

About our role

We are not a specialist young carers service. Our role is to:

listen
understand your situation
help you find the right support, if and when you need it

You are not alone. If your child or young person helps care for someone, support is available and we are here to help you explore it in a way that feels right for your family.

How we can help

We can offer flexible, supportive and practical help, in a way that works for your family.

A named contact

You will have a member of the Home Education team you can contact for advice or information.

Understanding your situation

We take caring responsibilities into account when talking with you about your child or young person's education.

Talking things through

When we are in contact with families (including during arranged visits), we can talk about caring responsibilities and explore what support or information may be helpful.

Information and signposting

We can share details of services, organisations and community support across Norfolk for young carers and families.

Accessing support (if you would like this)

If helpful, we can:

help you understand what support may be available
support you to access services
help make referrals to young carers services where appropriate

Opportunities for young carers

We can share information about local and online activities, support groups and events for young carers. There are some great services locally such as:

Young Carers & Families Support Service (Carers Matter Norfolk) - offering groups, activities and advice
The Benjamin Foundation - opportunities to meet other young carers and try new things
Great Yarmouth and Gorleston Young Carers - offering mentoring, peer support, activities and advice
Online sessions and relaxed drop‑ins you can join from home

Keeping you informed

We share information about young carers through our communications so families can find out about support when the time feels right for them.

Some children and young people spend time helping care for someone at home; whether that's offering emotional support, helping out around the house, or quietly taking on a little more responsibility day to day.

If that sounds like your family, you're not alone. There's support available across Norfolk, and sometimes just knowing what's out there can make a difference.

You don't need to take any formal steps, but if you want to talk things through, the EHE team is here. We're always happy to listen, share ideas, or point you towards support if it would be helpful.

How to complete a Young Carers Assessment

The good news is that all young carers are entitled to a Young Carer's Assessment. This is simply a conversation to understand:

What your child does to help at home
How it might be affecting them
What support could make things easier for them and your family

 You, your child, or a professional can request this assessment.

 To arrange one, please contact Norfolk County Council on: 0344 800 8020

 If you think your child might be a young carer, reaching out could be a really positive first step in getting the right support in place.