Behind the scenes: A day in the life of our young carers team lead
Have you ever wondered what happens behind the scenes at North Tyneside Carers’ Centre? Today, we’re sharing a glimpse behind the curtain of a typical day for our Young Carers Team Lead Kate Rispin.
Her role is dedicated to supporting young carers, their families, and the staff who work alongside them. Here is a sneak peek into her day.
Kate Rispin
I always start the day at 8.30am with a much-needed coffee and a chance to settle in, check emails and respond to anything urgent. By 9am my team arrives and some will be heading out on visits to carers in the community while others will be working in the office. My priority first thing is making sure everyone’s plans for the day are clear so the team feel supported and safe.
Some mornings we have team meetings, or other online meetings. Sometimes we visit schools, or North Tyneside Council or other partners we work closely with.
Supporting young carers and families
A big part of the role is reviewing new referrals of carers. When a young carer is referred to us, we request their Young Carer’s Needs Assessment, add them to our system, respond to the referrer, and make that all-important first contact with the family. This is often the beginning of a meaningful support journey.
Supporting the team
I believe that in order to deliver the best service for our young carers, we need to have a strong team. That is why I have regular supervision meetings with individuals to talk through cases, check in on their wellbeing, and plan next steps in their professional development.
I also spend time completing audits, planning training, and making sure our staff have the skills and knowledge they need to provide the best possible support.
Our Young Carers team includes:
- A Breaks and Activities Coordinator
- A Young Adult Carer Worker
- Family Support Workers
- A Young Carers in Schools Programme Lead
- A Sessional Worker
- A specialist contractor delivering therapeutic sessions
As team lead, my job is to make sure everyone has the right information to work together effectively.
Planning, improving, and growing
Much of what we do happens behind the scenes. This ranges from planning events, exploring funding opportunities, reviewing costs, and making sure we can offer the best support for carers.
We have systems in place to carefully track outcomes and measure the difference our support makes. Data is collected for reports and evaluations, helping us continually improve what we do.
I also run the monthly Young Carers Forum – which is where young carers themselves feed back to us what we can do to improve. I also attend external meetings with education and health partners, representing and advocating for young carers across North Tyneside.
The best part of my job
While much of my role involves planning, coordination, and leadership, there are special moments that make it all worthwhile.
Now and then, I will get to take part in the fun activities we put on. This is so valuable to me as I love seeing the young people and their families, especially when I know the path they have been on before, during and after the support from our team. It is lovely to put a face to a name and see them happy and carefree.
If you would like to know more about North Tyneside Carers’ Centre, please contact us below.
0191 2496480