Caring young stars meet Government minister
Published Tuesday 5th July 11 in Council - news and information releases news
Two super Young Carers from Southend met with Tim Loughton, Minister for Children’s Services, to talk about how they can be better supported at home and in school.
Young Carers Danielle and Levi from Southend were accompanied by Brenda Lewis, a Young Carers Worker from Southend-on-Sea Borough Council, when they went to meet the Minister at the Department for Education in Westminster.
The Minister spent time with Danielle, Levi and eight other Young Carers, answering questions and discussing many of the issues they face at home and at school.
The Young Carers voiced their concerns to the Minister about how local projects for Young Carers must continue despite cutbacks, as well as how they felt some teachers did not recognise or acknowledge the issues faced by Young Carers.
They also discussed how they could work with their doctors to get more information about health conditions affecting the people they care for.
Mr Loughton said: "I'm determined to get a better, fairer deal for the tens of thousands of Young Carers up and down the country."
The Young Carers were told that some new web-based training for school staff about the needs of Young Carers, could help raise awareness.
This has been produced by the Department for Education in association with the Department of Health and the National Young Carers Coalition.
A similar product aimed at GPs is also being prepared. The Minister pledged to write to all MPs, reinforcing the importance of supporting Young Carers in their constituencies and raising awareness of the issues they face.
"Mr Loughton was very friendly and made us all feel very welcome and I feel very lucky to have played a role in helping to get young carers noticed by our current Government." said Danielle.
"I was also recently involved in a radio broadcast at the Young Carers Festival held in Southampton and it was revealed that Mr Loughton has taken in what we have said, and has begun to put some of our ideas into action.
"I am pleased to know that by speaking up; we have helped to start get the ball rolling to make the lives of Young Carers a little bit easier."
Councillor Mark Flewitt, Southend-on-Sea Borough Council's Executive Councillor for Children and Learning, said "It is incredibly important that young people speak up about issues that affect them, and it's great that Government is taking into account their concerns.
"We are really proud of the fantastic work our local Young Carers do and it is extremely humbling to see them want to make a difference to other Young Carers' lives across the country. They are a remarkable group of young people."