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This ‘National Care Leavers Month’, we’re thinking about the young people who we support who have left the care system, including what this month means for them and how we can help them overcome the stigma of growing up in care.
Legally, a ‘care leaver’ is defined as “someone who has been in the care of the Local Authority for a period of 13 weeks or more spanning their 16th birthday”, but simply, they’re young people who have grown up in the care system – whether that be through foster care, residential care or state-supported housing – who are transitioning into independent living.
There is often a lot of stigma surrounding seeking support as a young person leaving the care system, built over years of negative stereotypes, discrimination and public perception. This can lead to challenges of social isolation, disrupted education and employment barriers.
Many young people who have experience of the care system therefore feel uncertain about where to turn to or worry that asking for help will only add to the stigma. Yet, accessing the right support is a vital part of building a stable and fulfilling future, and recognising these challenges is the first step towards empowerment and independence.
Part of this includes knowing what support is out there. All young people leaving care are entitled to various forms of support as they transition into independent living, including:
At P3 Charity, we work alongside young people to make sure they understand their rights, access the help available to them and feel confident shaping their own future. Our teams provide practical advice, emotional support and a safe space to build the skills and resilience needed for independent living. We work closely with a wide range of local organisations meaning we can signpost people to the right support when we recognise that that one of our partners would be better suited to helping these young people thrive.
Leaving care can be a challenging and scary time in a young person’s life and leaving the safety net of social services or foster care can often bring uncertainty surrounding housing and budgeting, leading to mental health challenges.
That’s why P3’s services are designed to bridge that gap, helping them build a stable future and get the confidence they need to move forward. From safe accommodation, practical life skills, mental health support and education and employment guidance, we holistically work alongside young people to navigate the challenges of adulthood.
Our people-centric framework at P3 means we can deliver support on a person-by-person basis, meaning our support is centred on taking the time to get to know each person as an individual, building trust and understanding the reasons behind their behaviours.
This coincides with two principles that inform our approach: psychologically informed environments (PIE) and trauma-informed care (TIC). A psychologically informed environment means seeing someone beyond their current circumstances, recognising that past trauma and difficult life experiences can shape how someone thinks, feels and behaves. We then create a tailored support environment that meets that individual’s needs.
Complementing this is our trauma-informed care approach, through which we recognise the impact of trauma in shaping a person’s behaviour and choices. Our dedicated P3 support teams are trained to identify the signs of trauma and provide care that is safe, respectful and empowering, helping to positively influence an individual’s long-term mental and physical wellbeing.
These two principles are the foundation of our services, but particularly when working with young people, many of whom have experienced early trauma. We understand that this looks different for everyone, which is why trust and mutual respect are so crucial to our approach.
We build positive, professional relationships where the people we support feel confident to open up, whether this is a form of acute trauma from a single distressing event, chronic trauma from repeated exposure to stress or complex trauma resulting from multiple traumatic experiences over time.
To truly achieve this, all our P3 places, spaces and programmes are co-produced with people who have lived experience of homelessness, substance misuse and mental ill-health. This ensures we provide support that makes people feel safe, heard and empowered to take the next steps in their lives.
Our nationally recognised People Board, a part of our People Shaping P3 programme, provides space for the people we support to share their experiences and ideas to help shape how P3 Charity works, now and in the future. They review feedback, co-design improvements, sit on interview panels and advise our leadership, helping to shape decisions that are integral to how we operate as an organisation. By championing lived experience, the People Board keeps us grounded, accountable and always evolving, bringing fresh ideas and lived insights to the table.
This approach is especially meaningful during Care Leavers Month, when we recognise the importance of giving young people leaving care a platform to share their experiences. Many care leavers have powerful stories, perspectives and ideas that can help shape better services, not just for themselves, but for others following in their footsteps.
Through initiatives like our People Board, we ensure that care leavers have a real voice in influencing the support that impacts their lives. Their lived experience helps us to understand what works, what doesn’t and how we can continue to evolve our spaces for young people to feel empowered and safe.
If you are looking for support services specific to leaving the care system, you can find various programmes via Gov.UK and Turn2Us.
