New young carers service launched in Bridgend County Borough

A new Families First Programme has been launched by Bridgend County Borough Council, as part of the Bridgend Young Carers Service. 

The programme is run in partnership with Whitehead-Ross Education, Welsh Government and Bridgend County Borough Council. 

Families First is one of a number of programmes which forms part of the Children and Communities Grant, which aims to address the support and needs of the most vulnerable children and adults in our communities.

The scheme aims to assist households who are experiencing short or long-term challenges by making sure families receive support in a way that is appropriate to their needs.

All services provided through Families First consider the following key principles:

• Family-focussed- there is a focus on a whole family approach
• Bespoke– services are tailored to individual family circumstances
• Integrated- plans are in place to ensure a seamless progression for families who move between different programmes
• Local- services will address the needs of local communities and seek opportunities to link in with other local programmes
• Pro-active- seeking early identification of need and securing appropriate interventions in a timely way
• Sustainable- services aim to address the root causes of problems and not just the symptoms

The launch of this new programme will help so many families and young people in the county borough by providing a very personal approach, which makes sure that families get the specific support they need.

It’s great to be working with partners such as Whitehead-Ross Education and the plans they have in place will make sure young carers receive the support that they both deserve and need.

Councillor Jane Gebbie, Deputy Leader for Bridgend County Borough Council and Cabinet Member for Social Services and Early Help

Ian Ross, Managing Director at Whitehead-Ross Education, said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Bridgend County Borough Council in delivering this new innovative service for young carers. 

“Delivered from our new centre on Five Bells Road, we are supporting children and young people who have a caring responsibility with 1-2-1 support, issue-based workshops, a youth club with exciting social activities, and opportunities for young carers to gain new life skills qualifications. The programme is providing a home transport service, ensuring all young carers can access the support available on a weekly basis.”