Summerhill is city’s first Young Carers award winner

Bristol’s Summerhill Academy has become the first school in the city to earn a Young Carers Silver Award in recognition of its support for pupils with caring responsibilities.

Staff at Summerhill Academy support their young carers socially and emotionally, by running a weekly pastoral support group for young carers and providing emotional support to their parent/carers too.

Triff Rees and Louise Dunbar applied to the Young Carers charity for the status on behalf of pupils.

For the bid to be successful they had to supply a range of evidence, which included carer leads establishing links with healthcare support (school nurses where available) and the local young carers service.

They were also asked to supply proof of careful monitoring of young carers’ school attendance and attainment and much more.

In making the award to Summerhill, the Carers Support website states: “Congratulations to Summerhill Academy on becoming the first Bristol school to achieve Silver in the Young Carers in Schools Awards delivered locally by Carers Support Centre.”

Triff and Louise said Summerhill is proud to be leading the way among Bristol schools.

They said: “Achieving the award shows a real commitment by the school to ensure our students don’t miss out on an education because they are young carers. We are delighted and very proud to have achieved our Young Carer’s silver award for Summerhill Academy.”