Our mission focuses on two crucial areas: 

Every child or young person referred to GYC is offered an assessment in the family home, at school or college or any other appropriate venue (depending on age)
At the visit our worker, in discussion with the young person and their family, will assess the child or young person’s needs as a young carer, the support they require and develop a plan of support. The plan might include:
• Information, advice and guidance
• Helping family members to access the services they need to reduce the amount and impact of caring on the young person;
• Access to services provided by GYC or other agencies
• Working with schools and other agencies to ensure ‘joined up’ support for the young carer.

We run weekly or fortnightly respite support groups during term time for juniors aged 8–11 , and seniors aged 12 – 16.  The groups run in localities across the county. Young carers can:
• Enjoy fun activities in a safe environment with other young people who share similar experiences and feelings
• Talk to workers with whom they have built a trusting relationship
• Have a safe space to address issues/concerns as they arise
• Build connection and friendship with other young carers

We offer 121 support when it has been identified that the young carer is struggling to cope with their caring role.

This could be because of becoming overwhelmed by the demands of caring for their family member alongside their everyday life and / or being unable to express their feelings around this, which is then having an impact on their own health.

The support is designed to enable the young carer to understand what caring means to them and their family, and develop strategies which will help them improve their own well-being and guide them to find their own direction.

We organise day trips and activities where young carers can enjoy time away with other young people who share similar family circumstances.  These offer access to fun, positive experiences that challenge and inspire.  We work closely with the local community and corporate organisations to enable these events to happen.

Caring Counts is our health and wellbeing course for young carers aged 11+. These aim to enable young carers to:
• Share their experiences of being a young carer and discuss the strengths and challenges of caring
• Build resilience and develop coping strategies through the five ways to wellbeing
• Learn about the support that is available to them
• Have some fun and make new friends

‘Us Too’ is a closed, time limited support group for children who are coping with the impact of a family member’s mental ill health. Its objectives are:
• To provide a safe space where group members can identify and express their feelings
• To reduce the sense of isolation by sharing experiences and views with others in similar circumstances
• To enhance self-esteem and confidence
• To help the young people to gain a greater understanding of mental health and mental illness
• To help them make sense of the impact of the illness on the family
• To support the development of coping strategies

Social prescribing has one goal: to support young people to improve their physical and mental wellbeing so that they can achieve the best they can in their lives. This is a pilot project at GYC running since 2022 and looks to connects young people to activities, groups and services in their community to meet the practical, social and emotional needs that affect their health and wellbeing.

We work with the child to assess key areas of their life that impact them and set personal targets to work towards. We look to signpost young carers to other specific organisations for targeted support and work with the young person and their family to support engagement with these agencies. In addition to this we provide individually tailored 1:1 sessions, small and well supported activity groups, multi-agency working, and enabling children to access wider GYC support such as activities and respite groups.