Wellbeing Information for Parents, Carers & Guardians
We’ve included a links to helpful wellbeing information to help you support your young person.
Financial information
We’ve included a links to helpful wellbeing information to help you support your young person.
There are 19 Community Pantries across Hampshire which provide food at a lower cost than supermarkets, in exchange for a small cost or Food Banks where you can pick up food at no cost with a referral from the Wellbeing Team.
If your child is eligible for FCM you need to get them registered. If eligible your child will receive £3.75, added to their account each day (please note this amount does not roll over if not used). Go to this government website to check if your child is eligible.
The Citizens Advice Bureau can help you with:
- Getting benefits or organising other financial support
- Accessing support for essential costs (food, bills, rent) contact the Citizens Advice website or contact your local branch to book an appointment.
Our specialist team are always on hand to help and support students, if you have any concerns or need support please contact wellbeingandover@sparsholt.ac.uk for further details.
Information for the Parents of Young Adult Carers
If your young person is 16-25 and cares for a family member who has a physical or mental illness, a disability, a mental health condition or an addiction without being paid, they might be a Young Adult Carer.
- Household tasks – cooking, cleaning, shopping
- Physical care – helping someone move around
- Emotional support – listening and being there for someone who’s struggling
- Personal care – helping someone wash or dress
- Medical tasks – collecting prescriptions, giving medicine
- Managing things at home – like paying bills or handling appointments
- Looking after siblings – including school runs or babysitting
Support is available for Young Adult Carers at Sparsholt, here at Sparsholt College we have dedicated staff members who are there for your young person throughout their time at college. Please talk to the Wellbeing team to find out more –wellbeingandover@sparsholt.ac.uk
Balancing caring responsibilities with studies can be tough. Help might be needed with:
- Managing time and deadlines for coursework
- Looking after wellbeing
- Financial pressures
- Having someone to talk to who understands
If you think your young person may be a Young Adult Carer but you haven’t let us know yet, that’s okay — it’s never too late. Please reach out to the Wellbeing Team so we can support them. Even a quick chat can make a big difference – wellbeingandover@sparsholt.ac.uk
Useful Information for Young Adult Carers
They can record it confidentially on your young person’s medical notes and offer support that’s tailored to your situation.
By registering as a Young Adult Carer, the GP may be able to:
- Help explain medical conditions or treatments for the person they care for
- Tell them about NHS services available to them and their family
- Signpost them to other helpful organisations and support
- Offer home visits if the person they care for can’t get to the surgery
- Try to arrange appointments for both of you at the same time
- Set up repeat prescriptions to be delivered to your local pharmacy (if available)
Young Adult Carer’s under 18, have rights.
Starting college may change how Young Adult Carers are able to support your family. You can ask for a Young Carer’s Assessment to review what help you and your family may now need. It’s a great way to make sure education, wellbeing, and goals are taken into account.
Learn more here: Being a young carer: your rights – NHS
Young Carers over 18 can ask for a Carer’s Assessment through your local council. This helps identify what support or services could make life easier for them — at college and beyond.
More info here: Carer’s assessments – NHS
If your young person is a recognised carer (providing at least 35 hours of unpaid care per week), they might qualify for Carer’s Allowance or Carer’s Credit. But their college course can affect this.
Important points to know:
- Young Adult Carers can only study up to 21 hours a week (this includes class time and independent study) if they are receiving Carer’s Allowance.
- Full-time students usually aren’t eligible for Carer’s Allowance.
- If Young Adult Carers already receive Carer’s Allowance, they will need to tell Jobcentre Plus once they enrol in full-time study — otherwise, they could face overpayments.
- Some other benefits might also be affected by studying full time
Check here for more info: Full-time students and benefits – Turn2Us
And find more government guidance here: Carer’s Allowance – GOV.UK
This is an online tool which is designed to help support people caring for someone; it aims to make it a little easier to coordinate care provision and communicate with those who share the responsibilities. Young Adult Carers may find this beneficial when trying to balance their caring responsibilities alongside studies.
- Hope Support Services
- Students with caring responsibilities
- No Limits – Young People’s Support from Carers Trust
- Help for Carers – Carers Trust
- Carers UK
- CarerSmart – Carers Trust
- NHS – Social Care and Support Guide
- Hampshire Young Carers Alliance
- Young Carer Support – Wiltshire
- Young Carer Support – Dorset