Bridges Family and Carers is a specialist service in Stockton-on-Tees providing support to people who have a loved one with issues with drugs or alcohol. As part of our remit we have a dedicated kinship care worker supporting family members who have children placed with them – these carers maybe grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, or other extended family members (DDN, June, page 12).
Recent research estimates that there are more than 132,000 children in kinship care arrangements in England, and without these kinship carers many of these children would likely be in the care system. A number of children live with family members because of parental substance use, and these are the families we support.
Unlike foster care placements, kinship carers often don’t qualify for payments from government to help care for their families’ children, and many suffer financial hardship. In the past year we’ve supported around 80 kinship carers directly, with the number of children within these families in the hundreds.
Many kinship carers are retired or unable to work as a result of their own health needs or caring responsibilities. In these circumstances, things that many of us take for granted – such as holidays or days out – are among the first to be sacrificed when the money coming in only covers the ‘essentials’, something that also impacts carers’ ability to provide exercise or activity opportunities for the young people in their care.
We know that the children of people who use substances have increased risk factors for substance use themselves, as well as involvement in the criminal justice system, mental health disorders and issues with engagement in education. This means they can be expected to be in poorer health later in life than their peers – should the young person be in the care system, then these risks increase further.
Through a piece of co-production with kinship carers we developed a programme to support the young people. Once we had agreed our plan, we applied to Sport England for funding to run the project – and a big thank you to them for funding it.
The Bridges activity programme has helped to support the five ways to wellbeing:
Connect – families experienced a sense of belonging during activities, and were encouraged and supported to connect with other people
Get active – physical activity can help maintain positive mental health, promote restful sleep, and reduce anxiety and stress.
Take notice – group activities focused individuals on enjoying the moment, taking their thoughts away from family problems.
Learn – people taking part in activities learnt new skills and undertook new challenges which can help boost self-esteem.
Give – while taking part in group activities people gave time to listen and share with others, which can help create positive feelings and a sense of reward.
It was important for the young people to have a voice and be able to do the activities they wanted, where possible – while some were for the whole family, others were either for the young person alone or were group activities that involved joining an existing club or team to help decrease isolation and build confidence. Luckily, we found that our local sports and leisure providers were incredibly supportive and willing to adapt to our needs.
Often sessions were tailored for the group, as a number of the young people have health needs and diagnoses such as Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, autism or ADHD, and all have suffered life trauma. Sensory processing disorders are also common, meaning that the young people can struggle in large groups, but we found providers were willing to deliver one-to-one sessions or sessions with reduced noise and dimmed lighting.
Activities included swimming, horse riding, basketball, table tennis, gym sessions, martial arts, ice skating, gymnastics, strength and endurance training, weight training, sensory therapeutic activities, bike riding, boxing, and dance/performing arts. These were accessed by 51 young people and eight adults, and we also delivered family days – including wellness walks and local activities – that were attended by 33 young people and 22 adults.
As well as funding activities for our young people, we’ve been able to purchase sporting equipment for families on low incomes, including bikes. Kinship carers have reported a range of health improvements in the young people who took part, including improved physical fitness, weight loss, new friendships (peer support), reduced stress levels and improvements in confidence and mental health. The activities also helped to promote social inclusion for ‘kinship kids’, as well as provide a safe space for the young people to express their emotions. They also allowed the young people to feel part of the community, as well as the opportunity to try new activities.
One of the most pleasing aspects of the project is the number of young people who have continued to engage in sport. One young person lost their place at college due to a substance-related incident and had criminal justice involvement – after getting into a gym routine they started a healthy eating plan and other sports, and have been working and drug-free for over a year. Also, well done to the young lady who now works at a centre she accessed during the project.
Projects like this show early intervention at its best – a modest investment now can not only provide instant fun and enjoyment, but also support the development of healthy habits. If any of these young people go on to lead a healthier lifestyle, the project will have significant long-term benefits. Sport is more than a game – it’s a pathway to hope, healing and a healthier future.
Liam Knowles is a project worker at Bridges Family and Carers Service
These three carers say it better than me:
‘My granddaughter has had issues with her weight for a long time, and she’s been bullied at school. I worked with Carole to see if we could get her involved in some kind of exercise. She’s not a very confident child, but Sport England gave her the opportunity to take out a gym membership. I couldn’t have done this as I’m on a pension. She has gone to the gym every week at quiet times, which are better for her, and made new friends. She seems a lot more confident and has started to lose weight. Thank you.’
‘We struggle with money and have two young children to look after. As a family we all like swimming, and Bridges gave us the opportunity to all go to our local pool. The kids love it, and they love that we’re able to go with them. I’m happy we’ve been able to do something together that is helping to get us all a bit fitter and a bit more active.’
‘Both my son and daughter have a history of drug problems so as a result all seven of my grandchildren are in family care, four with me. They have a range of disabilities, and it was important that we could do activities that suited them, but the environment had to be right. Bridges helped them to take part in things like assault courses, horse riding and gymnastics, which they’ve all loved. We’re very grateful to Sport England for this opportunity, as these types of activities are not something easily afforded. All of the children are shattered from last night’s group outing and all slept well, giving us a bit of a break.’