Students with Caring Responsibilities

Students who have significant caring responsibilities for either parents or can affect the child's mental and emotional wellbeing and academic performance in different ways, so it's crucial to be aware of the child's needs and address them accordingly. It's also important to provide support, resources, and understanding to the child, to help them to manage their caring responsibilities and maintain a healthy balance in their life. 

 

When a child is caring for a parent or sibling, they may experience: 

• Increased stress and anxiety: Caring for a parent or sibling can be a heavy emotional and physical burden, leading to increased levels of stress and anxiety. 

• Difficulty concentrating and learning: The child may find it difficult to focus on their studies because of the demands of caring for their parent or sibling, leading to poor academic performance. 

• Social isolation: The child may withdraw from social activities and have difficulty making and maintaining friendships. 

• Difficulty in developing and maintaining relationships: The child may find it difficult to make and maintain friendships due to the demands of caring for their parent or sibling. 

• Difficulty sleeping: Financial stress can make it difficult for a student to relax and fall asleep, leading to insomnia and other sleep-related problems. 

• Guilt and blame: The child may feel guilty for not being able to do more for their parent or blame themselves for their parent's condition. 

 

School counsellors can support students with significant caring responsibilities for their parents or siblings in a variety of ways: 

• Provide emotional support and a safe space for the student to talk about their feelings and concerns. 

• Help the student understand that their caring responsibilities are not their fault, and that they are not alone in their situation. 

• Collaborate with teachers and other school staff to provide accommodations for the student, such as extra time for assignments or flexibility with attendance. 

• Connect the student and their family with community resources that can provide support and assistance, such as respite care, counselling, and support groups. 

• Provide information and resources on self-care and stress management to help the student cope with the demands of their caring responsibilities. 

• Provide referrals to mental health professionals if the student is experiencing significant emotional distress. 

• Help the student to develop a balance between their caring responsibilities, school work and personal life, so they can achieve their goals while also taking care of themselves. 

 

By providing emotional support, connecting students and their families with community resources, and providing information and resources, school counsellors can help students to manage these challenges and achieve their full potential.