Supporting Young Carers Through Maths

At MathsMakers, we’re proud to be supporting young carers through dedicated maths programmes delivered in partnership with Barnet Young Carers and Harrow Young Carers.

Young carers often take on significant responsibilities at home, whether that’s caring for a family member, helping with siblings, or managing additional household duties. These responsibilities can sometimes affect school attendance, focus, and confidence - making it harder to keep up, particularly in subjects like maths where gaps in understanding can quickly grow.

Our programmes aim to provide a consistent, supportive space where young people can build confidence, strengthen their skills, and feel more positive about learning.

Two Programmes, Tailored to Local Needs

We are currently running two young carer programmes, each designed to work in a way that best supports the students involved:

Harrow Young Carers ProgrammeThis 10-week programme takes place at the Young Carers Centre, offering a familiar and supportive community setting where students can attend sessions outside of school.

Barnet Young Carers ProgrammeThis 14-week programme is delivered in partnership with Barnet Young Carers and The Compton School. Sessions take place in school, making it easier for students to access regular support as part of their routine.

Both programmes are supported by experienced MathsMakers tutors, alongside trained Year 12 mentors who work closely with students to provide encouragement and one-to-one support.

Creating a Space to Build Confidence

A big part of what makes these programmes work is the environment. We focus on creating sessions where students feel comfortable asking questions, making mistakes, and trying again.

For young carers, having a space like this can make a real difference. It’s a chance to focus on their own learning, build confidence, and experience success in a subject that many have previously found challenging.

We recently welcomed visitors from the Young Harrow Foundation and Deo Duce Foundation to one of our sessions, who shared the following feedback:

“It was great to see the programme in action and to witness how engaged the young people were throughout the session. The teacher was very engaging, approachable, and clearly brilliant at creating a positive learning environment where the young people felt supported and motivated. The support provided by the teachers and young volunteers was excellent, and it was clear that the partnership with Harrow Young Carers is making a real difference for the students involved.” — Fatima Asif, Evaluation and Impact Lead, Young Harrow Foundation

They also highlighted the importance of the relationship-building work carried out by the Harrow Young Carers team, helping to ensure that young people feel supported and encouraged to take part.

The Power of Partnership

These programmes show what’s possible when schools, community organisations, and educators work together. By combining academic support with strong pastoral care and trusted relationships, we’re able to create a more joined-up approach that really supports young people.

The involvement of Year 12 mentors is also a key part of this. As well as supporting younger students, mentors gain valuable experience, building their own confidence and communication skills along the way.

Looking Ahead

Both programmes will run until just before the May half term, and we’re already looking ahead to how we can support even more young carers in the future.

There is a clear need for this kind of targeted, supportive provision - and we’re excited to continue building on these partnerships to reach more young people who can benefit.