supporting voluntary and community organisations in the Borough

 

Young Carers Service for Bracknell Forest

The Young Carers Project was set up in 2005 and is partly funded by Bracknell Forest Borough Council. It is a service that provides respite care, advice and support for children and young people aged between five and eighteen years that care for a sick or disabled parent and sometimes their siblings too.

These children care for parents that have many illnesses from life-threatening illnesses to mental health issues or drug and alcohol abuse. Although their lives can be tough, both financially and emotionally, the children and young people we offer respite care to are an inspiration due to the unconditional care they give their families.

Respite support

The Young Carers Project provides weekly youth clubs for 12 to 18 year olds on Monday evenings, and 5 to 12 year olds on Wednesday evenings at Priestwood Youth Centre. We offer activities such as arts and crafts, table tennis and pool tournaments; we have face painters to teach the children how to face paint, seasonal parties for Halloween and Christmas and much, much more.

We also run activity programs during school holidays so that the children and young people can have a break from their caring role we offer lots of day trips and activities such as trips to Longleat, Legoland and Laser Quest.

Annual Trips

We have been fortunate in the past to take some Young Carers to an Outward Bound Course in Wales for a week, which the young people loved and had a break from their caring role.

Contact the Young Carers’ Support Coordinator - Angela Evans
angela.evans@bfva.org telephone 01344 383512

Advice and Information

We can offer advice and information to Young Carers and their families on a range of subjects. We offer a signposting service, and can make a referral for extra support if the Young Carer and their family feels this may be appropriate. We also offer one to one support sessions and can support families going through social services assessments.

Schools

The Young Carers Support Co-ordinator is willing to come to schools and talk at assemblies and in PSHE lessons. The aim of these information sessions are to raise awareness of Young Carers issues and offer support to any child, or young person who feels they may benefit from support from our service.

The following links will provide you with further information:

Princes Royal Trust for Carers: www.youngcarers.net

The Children’s Society: www.youngcarer.com

The following information is available to download

Young Carers Leaflet *

*

These are PDF documents. You will need a copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader to open them. If you do not have this software on your computer it is freely available from the Adobe website - click on the Adobe logo.

Bracknell Forest Voluntary Action, Ground Floor, Amber House, Market Street, Bracknell RG12 1JB    Email info@bfva.org