On Wednesday 22^nd January 2025, a group of young carers together with Gloucestershire Young Carers staff, delivered an online training session to social workers across the county in partnership with the Social Work Academy.  Five young and young adult carers delivered a ‘learning lunch’, an online training session delivering bespoke learning opportunities that respond to practice development needs within Gloucestershire, and to the requirements of specific roles. 

The learning lunch saw over 50 social workers attend the session which gave information on young carers, the services Gloucestershire Young Carers provides and heard directly from the young people about their experiences as a young carer and their interactions with social care. The young people spoke about their lives and the impact their different caring roles have had on different aspects of their lives such as education, social life, their own mental health, and future ambitions.    

The aim of the training was to better inform social workers about how a young carer’s life may differ to that of other young people and how they can be better identified and supported by social care. The young carers’ feedback on their experiences will hopefully be used by the social workers in attendance to help develop their practice and make further considerations about the young people they work with.  

Scott Bailey-Locke, Youth Participation Lead said: “We are grateful to Rob and the Social Work Academy for allowing the young people the opportunity to tell their stories and give their feedback directly to the people that have supported them. While most young people have positive experiences of social care, sometimes it is hard to recognise the additional responsibilities and pressures young carers come under and by providing social care with the knowledge and tools to help identify and support these young people we can create a more effective system.” 

Rob Tyrell, Principal Social Worker for Gloucestershire said: “I wanted to thank you all for the brilliant learning lunch yesterday – and to appreciate the thought and feeling that Luna, Samual, Lottie, Chandra and Faith put into the whole event through sharing their stories. This was a really powerful and challenging experience for the people participating from across Children’s Social Care and the wider Gloucestershire Safeguarding Children Partnership and will be a great catalyst for further ideas  and actions!” 

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