At focusgov, we believe that we all have a responsibility to enable care leavers in their transition to independence and adulthood. Many care experienced young people face difficult experiences, and providing key support, information and access to opportunities is crucial in helping them prepare for independence.
As many as 1 in 5 care leavers have reported often, or always, feeling lonely. Through our work with young people and leaving care teams across the UK on the Care Leavers App, there are several reasons young people might feel socially isolated:
- A lack of information and awareness about what is available to them.
- Moving out of area and separated from their support networks.
- Difficulty with face-to-face visits – particularly during the pandemic.
- Disrupted schooling.
- Trouble accessing social services.
Ensuring young people have access to technology can help tackle social isolation by helping to maintain contact with family and friends and providing direct access to events and support that are available to them.
We know that with the right opportunities and help, care leavers can achieve great things. However, Ofsted research published in January 2022 provided conflicting feelings for young people leaving care.
‘Happy’ was the second most used word used by young people describing their feelings, when leaving care, however, ‘scared’ was the highest word used, with ‘worried’, ‘unsafe’ and ‘lonely’ also appearing often.
Ofsted recommend that Corporate Parents should prepare young people for:
- Managing finances and budgeting, including understanding what bills they have to pay, what benefits they are entitled to, how to budget.
- Handling safety and risk, including about the area and accommodation they live in.
- Accessing health services, including ensuring that they know what services are available if they move area.
- Supporting mental health and emotional well-being, including knowing who they can call if they need help or someone to talk to.
- Publish and publicise the local authority’s care leaver offer in accessible ways.
- Ensure that care leavers know what they are legally entitled to and are helped to access support after they leave care.
The
Care Leavers App can help support your young people and team, providing a
budget planner to manage finances,
directory of services and organisations, mental health signposting and support,
publishing your local offer and an easy way to
keep in touch and communicate their wishes and feelings.
The Care Leavers App, can also support you meet with
Ofsteds Separate Judgement criteria focusing on the things that matter most to care leavers’ lives, such as:
- relationships and access to social and recreational opportunities.
- ability to influence the services they are offered.
- health and emotional well-being.
- learning and employment opportunities.
If you’re interested in understanding how the Care Leavers App can support your young people and team,
get in touch here.