This first milestone of the Award acknowledges the meaningful work already underway across our Schools, and reflects our commitment to creating an inclusive, compassionate environment where every student feels seen, heard, and valued.
We’ve been working closely with Edinburgh Young Carers and Capital Carers, two fantastic organisations offering advice and information for pupils, staff, and families, and some of our initiatives include:
- Raising Awareness: We’ve delivered awareness assemblies and staff training to help students and staff understand the challenges young carers face and how they can be supported.
- Community support: Each of our schools has a designated Young Carer Coordinator. Our Junior School has a thriving Young Carers group, and this initiative is set to expand to our Senior Schools. They will be launching their own groups to offer peer connection, pastoral support, and a safe space to share experiences.
- Pastoral support: Through our early work identifying and supporting young carers, we’ve already been able to enhance pastoral support through sessions with our Wellbeing Support Assistants, providing access to time-out cards, facilitating opportunities to call home during the day, improving communication with families, and offering extra in-school support where needed.
The Recognition Badge is a significant milestone of progress and symbolises our ongoing promise to listen, learn, and take meaningful action to ensure every young carer at Erskine Stewart Melville is equipped to thrive, in and outside the classroom.