NORTON College has launched a new project to support pupils who are young carers.

The school has its own young carers’ group, which was set up at the beginning of the year and meets each Friday lunchtime.

Its aim is to provide a safe place for students who are carers at home, to share their worries, talk to a member of the pastoral team and just relax.

A survey published last month by the charity Carers Trust to mark Young Carers Awareness Day suggests 73% of child carers take time off school to cope with their duties. According to The Children’s Society it is estimated that 700,000 young carers in the UK are children or teenagers who are primary carers for a sick, incapacitated or addicted parent.

Norton College is working in partnership with Carers’ Resource – a local specialist carers’ centre for the Bradford and Airedale, Harrogate and Ripon, and Craven districts of Yorkshire, on the project.

Rachel Medley, Year 10 assistant learning co-ordinator who is in charge of the young carers’ group at Norton College, said: “Our ASPIRE values are about every child achieving their full potential. We want to help those most in need and offering this safe environment to young carers at Norton College is one positive, supportive way. They can talk, or not. It’s a chance for them to be children again. There are games, chocolate and music. They see what they do day-to-day as their responsibility. They are protective and they don’t like asking questions. These young carers have a real sense of pride in their role. We want them to know they are not on their own, when they are at school.”