WELCOME Keeping the Family in Mind Development Project based in Barnardos Action with Young Carers Liverpool Louise Wardale and Louisa Harrison

What we do As one of the UK’s leading children's charities, Barnardo’s believes in children regardless of their circumstances, gender, race, disability or behaviour. We believe in the abused, the vulnerable, the forgotten and the neglected. We will support them, stand up for them and bring out the best in each and every child. We do this because we believe in children.

Introducing Young Carers – ‘The Juggler’ Raising awareness of the issues faced by children and young people caring / impacted by parents with mental health problems Exploring the needs of young carers and how they want to be supported Redressing the balance – from consultation to action Influencing the delivery of services – some examples Listening to children and young peoples experiences- ‘Telling it like it is’ DVD What can Councillors do to support this agenda? Part of the Jigsaw…..

A taste of some of the vital ingredients A journey, lots of people joined along the way Sharing ‘the vision’ Influencing shared agendas but had to know what they were! Collective voice, recognising the different staring points for different organisations (children/adults) Participation and Active Listening to Children, Young People and their Families

Young Carers and their families central to KFIM development Practice base within the Young Carers Service, Liverpool Participation and Active Listening Strategic level, influencing agenda, platform 10 messages from Young Carers Genuine Partnerships Methods eg KFIM Pack Photography courtesy of First Take Video Training and Production Liverpool Can you see me, Can you hear me….. Are you keeping my family in mind??

Background Between 30% and 50% of adult mental health service users have children 1 in 6 adults have a mental health problem at any one time A NW study found that 40% of people with psychosis were women & 20% have pre-school children (Brooker, Faugier & Grey, 1998) parents with mental health problems are one of four groups most likely to face barriers in getting MH needs addressed (SEU/OPDM 2004)

Impact of caring - significant consequences for children and young people Children and young people caring for a parent are the group most likely NOT to be offered a carers assessment. (Dearden et al 2004) At least 30% of young carers are caring for a parent with mental health difficulties There are 175,000 children in the UK helping to care for a sick or disabled member of the family. Numbers in Liverpool, approx Hidden Lives report Nov 2006 Between 50% and 90% of families on child care caseloads have a parent affected by mental ill-health. Parental mental illness can have an adverse effect on child mental health and development (Falkov 1998) A quarter of all young carers report missing school 3 times more likely to experience mental health problems themselves Lack of confidence Being bullied

Young Carers tell us that they: Have no one to talk to Scared to tell anyone about their home circumstances Tired, hungry Frightened, isolated Stigmatised Ashamed, guilty Worried eg financial worries, being put in care Look after siblings as well as parents Have difficulty getting to school, on time, staying the whole day Find it difficult to concentrate, hold on to their tempers In need of information and explanations

Key issues for parents Fear of losing children, reality of it happening Uncertainty & complexity Feeling “on trial about parenting abilities” May need help - fear of asking for help Recovery impeded by anxiety Fear of mental illness & transmission Focus on risk rather than impact Impossibility of parenting without family and social networks Stigma

Part 8 Reviews - (Falkov 1996) One of the main risks to children whose parents have mental health problems is the failure of adult psychiatric services and child agencies to understand and communicate adequately.

EMOTIONALCARE DOMESTICCHORES LEISURESOCIALLIFE PHYSICALCARE EDUCATION

EMOTIONALCARE DOMESTICCHORES LEISURESOCIALLIFE PHYSICALCARE EDUCATION

North West Quality Protects Young Carers Work Forum Definition of a Young Carer “Young Carers are children and young people under the age of 18, who provide care to another family member usually an adult, who has a physical illness/disability; mental ill health; sensory disability; has problematic use of drugs or alcohol or is HIV positive. The level of care they provide would usually be undertaken by an adult and as a result of this has a significant impact on their normal childhood.”

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child Article 12: ‘Children have the right to say what they think should happen when adults are making decisions that affect them, and to have their opinions taken into account’

How Barnardos Action With Young Carers Liverpool responds: Deliver Direct Services to Young Carers and their Families Raise awareness to enable Professionals to identify Young Carers and listen to what they need Mobilise other services to meet the needs of the Young Carers and their families Provide Consultation for Professionals working with Children and Young People who are Young Carers Influence local and national service delivery and strategic planning

Keeping the Family in Mind Participative research into mental ill health and how it affects the whole family “ All the children, young people and adults expressed the view that a parent’s mental health problems had a direct impact on their immediate and extended families” (Keeping the Family in Mind 1999) Keeping the Family in Mind development project set up in 2001 to ‘improve and enhance the range of appropriate, accessible, non-stigmatising and timely services to families with children, who are impacted by adult mental ill-health in Liverpool’ Diverse range of approaches used to influence service delivery and policy development

DEVELOPMENT OUTCOMES: Partnership between adult and children’s services – statutory and voluntary Contribution to research and practice innovation and development Strategic influence Active participation of children and young people Improvements to the quality of their lives Strong & mature partnership with Mersey Care Altered attitudes and raised awareness Development of a more family-oriented culture And a more confident workforce Dissemination and sharing learning Resource development eg drama and publications Video: ‘Telling it like it is’ Family rooms across Mersey Care YC’s Assessments/joint protocols across adult and children's

Designed by and for children and young people Language they can Understand Meaningful participation

Keeping the Family in Mind Resource Pack

Understand what the key issues for Young Carers are Work collaboratively to meet their needs Keep asking if you are supporting them appropriately Take this learning from YC’s practice developments to enable you to ‘Think Family’ Other pieces of the JIGSAW?? Children and YP Plans What councillors can do to support this agenda………….. The Jigsaw