STEP 6
Step 6, Tool 2:
Running a peer support group for young
carers
Purpose
This tool aims to support Young Carers’ School Operational Leads to
set up and run a young carers’ peer support group. It provides key
information about:
• What is a young carers’ peer support group?
• What can young carers gain from participating?
• What to consider when setting up a peer support group
• Top tips for the facilitating the first session
What is a young carers’ peer support group?
Young carers’ peer support groups enable pupils who have caring
responsibilities to get together on a regular basis to:

Socialize

Have a break

Have fun

Share worries and concerns and achievements with each other

Gain advice and support from their peers and the adult facilitating the
group.
Whilst the group will need to be facilitated by a member of staff, this adult
should encourage the participating young carers to take ownership and decide
what they want to use the meetings for. This could involve hanging out, playing
games, doing activities such as arts and crafts or sports, or talking about young
carer issues. Groups have also been used to provide additional homework
support or to learn life skills
Why run a young carers’ peer support group?
Young carers often feel different or isolated from their peers, have limited
opportunities for socialisation, and a quarter of young carers in the UK said they
were bullied at school because of their caring role (Carers Trust, 2013). Stress
is also a common problem for young carers.
Running a peer support group specifically for young carers will help ensure they
can:

Get to know others in a similar position
Supporting Young Carers in Schools

Find space and time to relax

Develop and use interpersonal skills within safe boundaries

Find someone who listens and understands them

Discuss issues they are facing and be supported to solve them

Increase their confidence.
The adult facilitating the group will also be able to signpost young carers to
relevant organisations.
What is the difference between a young carers’ peer support
group and a young carers’ forum?
A young carers’ forum brings together young carers specifically to discuss and
help develop the school’s provision for pupils with caring responsibilities (see
Step 6 Tool 4: How to run a young carers’ forum) rather than to relax, have fun
and access support.
Your young carers’ peer support group may wish to use one of its sessions per
term as a “forum” meeting to discuss, influence and improve the school’s
provision but to achieve the potential benefits of running a peer support group, it
is important that young carers also have the opportunity to do other things
during their peer support meetings.
What to consider when setting up a peer support group

Timing: Peer support groups should meet frequently so that pupils get to
know each other and establish relationships and therefore should be run on
a weekly and/or fortnightly basis. Remember young carers may find it
difficult to attend sessions run after school as they may have caring
responsibilities at home.

Meeting room: Meetings should be held in a room which enables young
carers to talk in private. As the groups also meet to have fun and relax,
comfortable furniture and space to carry out activities, such as arts and
crafts, and/or play music would be ideal.

Funding: Funding may be required for refreshments and/or activity costs.
Many young carers are eligible for free school meals and pupil premium
funding. Speak to your Young Carers’ Senior Leadership Team Lead to
find out how this fund may be used.

Creating the right culture: Most successful peer support schemes are those
where there is a school culture of talking about issues fostered through, for
example, PSHE lessons, the curriculum, assemblies. Young carers need to
be used to seeking help within the school or they will find peer support an
unfamiliar concept
Top tips for facilitating the first session
Supporting Young Carers in Schools

Play an icebreaker to get pupils to introduce themselves to each other.

Introduce the aim of the group, when it will meet and establish that pupils
get to decide what talk about and what do at the session.

Create some group rules. Encourage pupils to use more “we will” and only
a few “we will not” type of statements to ensure that the contract, as well as
the attitude of the group, starts out on a positive note. Make sure you agree
grounds for confidentiality.

Get pupils to make a wish list of things they would like to do at the peer
support group.

Wrap up - Pupil say what they learned or liked or what they hope for about
the group.
Other forms of peer support
Ensure young carers know about:
Babble
Babble has been created by Carers Trust as an online space where those aged
under 18 who are caring for a family member or friend can chat, share their
experiences and access information and advice. The site aims to bring together
young carers from across the UK in an online space which is safe, fun and
supportive. The online team are on hand to answer any questions young carers
might have, and to offer support and advice via e-mail or one-to-one webchats.
https://babble.carers.org/
Matter
Carers Trust’s dedicated website for young adult carers, aged 16–25, providing
information, advice, email support and supervised message board and chat
sessions.
https://matter.carers.org
Young Carers in Focus
An online network that provides a safe, moderated space for young carers to
use – to communicate, share their stories and campaign for the things that
matter most to them. Any school can join the YCiF network and invite the young
carers they work with to create their own user account, through which they can
blog, upload media and communicate with other young carers across the UK.
https://www.makewav.es/joinycif
Supporting Young Carers in Schools
Carers Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales (1145181) and in
Scotland (SC042870). Registered as a company limited by guarantee in
England and Wales No. 7697170. Registered office: 32–36 Loman Street,
London SE1 0EH.
The Children’s Society is a registered charity number 221124. Registered
Office: Edward Rudolf House, Margery Street, London, WC1X 0J
Young Carers in Focus is a Big Lottery Fund partnership programme run by The
Children’s Society in conjunction with Rethink Mental Illness, Digital Me, YMCA
Fairthorne Group and The Fatherhood Institute
© Carers Trust 2015
Supporting Young Carers in Schools