Jordan
Jordan left the care when he started university. He was awarded a full scholarship that covered his accommodation all year round, including holidays. After facing some challenges, his place at university was temporality withdrawn, but he was later offered a second change and returned – this time living in private accommodation. Jordan had known his personal advisor (PA) since his teenage years, though they did not formally support him until he began university. But he only discovered the Care Leavers’ local Offer later, through a friend. After the pandemic, his PA changed, but he remains in contact with his old advisor today.
Jordan is a White British man in his early twenties, who spent most of his life in the care system. He has a degree and is now working part time in social care.
More about me...
After university, I moved back home and started working, but the job negatively affected my mental health. I left and found a new role, where I now feel more supported – especially with my plan to return to university for postgraduate study. My friends have played a big part in keeping me going, helping me find out about support services including the Local Offer, and encouraging me to focus on my goals. The pandemic had a big impact on my university experience and on the support systems for care leavers. I have seen how much harder it is now to reach personal advisors, and I know they are managing much higher caseloads. But I have also seen a shift – more young people are speaking out and getting involved in changing the system for the better. I’ve shared my story at corporate events to help professionals understand why it is so important to involve care leavers in shaping policy and services. Right now, I’m especially focused on helping care-experienced young people contribute directly to training for professionals working in leaving care teams. Our voices can, and should, play a role in building better systems.
Jordan wanted care leavers to be treated fairly and helped get care leaver status accepted as a protected characteristic.
Jordan wanted care leavers to be treated fairly and helped get care leaver status accepted as a protected characteristic.
We’ve got care leaver and protected characteristic in [local authority], and that’s through like having to speak to councillors and getting it through scrutiny meetings and so I’ve been doing a lot of that.
Well, I think a lot of it is... is like I didn’t really know what was going on, and then I’ve got friends who are younger and I’ve also lived with people that are... well, they were younger, obviously they’re now starting to come through the leaving care side, and it’s like I don’t... I’d want them to know, because I wanted to know. Like it’s taken for me to be 20... 23, 24, to find stuff out that you should really have been finding out at 18.
So, it’s just the fairness of it.
So, you’re kind of more involved so that the younger ones can kind of benefit from knowing earlier what their—?
Yeah, well I... I know that the stuff that we’re doing now is not going to affect me, like I’m [age] this year, so it’s not going to affect me. But like with my friends and with people that I’ve lived with, they should still get what I’ve in the end had to find out about, but if they find out about it earlier, then they can get it from earlier.
Jordan had moved homes many times in care and was sectioned just before turning 18.
Jordan had moved homes many times in care and was sectioned just before turning 18.
I moved around a lot, and then when I was ... well, just before my 18th birthday, I got sectioned, and I came out of hospital and then I was with a carer again that I’d known from when I was younger, and because they were... obviously, because it was coming up to my 18th birthday, I lived with them, and then I was going away to uni, so there was a bit of discussion about what would happen, whether I’d be put on Staying Put with them. But in the end, that wasn’t able to happen because they had another young person living with them and then they were also part of... we’ve got a scheme in [local authority] called [name], and they were part of that scheme, which required them to have at least one spare bedroom, and then because they also had children who were living with them, like older children who were living with them, it essentially the carers sat both me and the other lad down and said, “Between the two of you, we kind of need to decide like who’s going to be moving on.”
Jordan said his carer tried to teach him independent living skills, but it came too late to be useful.
Jordan said his carer tried to teach him independent living skills, but it came too late to be useful.
The way that I learnt was through uni. Like the first time I lived independently, I learnt that I couldn’t live independently, basically. I knew basics, like and it’s skills now that I’m still having to teach myself now, again, because I was never really taught, or when I started to get taught, it was probably a little bit too late. Because I had a carer that tried to help me when I was 17, but again when you’re being sectioned, you’re not really taking stuff in.
Jordan said when services create change it shows that care leavers are being listened to.
Jordan said when services create change it shows that care leavers are being listened to.
More young people are getting involved. More young people are speaking up and speaking out, and they’re not as afraid to express their opinions.
OK. So, there are more people who are able to. So, do you feel like their voices are being listened to as well?
Yeah. Yeah, I think... I’d say they are, yeah.
OK. And how do you feel about the change that... is there a change that you’ve been seeing, or is it more gradual?
It’s more gradual, but again, I can compare it to when I first became a care leaver. And when I first became a care leaver, people wouldn’t say anything because if you spoke up you were a troublemaker, like think you could be voicing a genuine like opin... like it’s something that to you is completely validated, but to a professional you’re just, “Are you causing trouble again?”
Oh, OK.
Whereas now, it is very much a case of young people being listened to and young people are having more of a say, and young people are contributing to the changes that are going on.
Jordan said he didn’t hear about the local offer from his local authority and only discovered it when another care leaver mentioned it years later.
Jordan said he didn’t hear about the local offer from his local authority and only discovered it when another care leaver mentioned it years later.
I found out the local offer through a friend of mine when I returned from uni, so I didn’t have a clue what was going on in [local authority]. What was happening, what was out there. I spoke with my PA, I had all my... like, you know, my six-week visit and the pathway plans and so I had all of the... . but nothing was really... it was literally just a case of: “What’s going well, what can we do to help you?” Yeah, like I said, in terms of the local offer, I was finding stuff out when I came back. There’s been some stuff that I’ve only just found out now, or not too long ago, which has apparently, it’s been on the local offer for a number of years and I’m finding out from a care leaver friend who’s a little bit younger than me.
So, do you feel like you wouldn’t have known had you not had this person?
If it wasn’t for this friend, I wouldn’t have known.
OK. And do you feel like there is information out there for you to find out?
It’s getting better. I’ve done a lot myself as well to try and get it pushed out. I’ve done bits in [local authority] to try and improve it, so I know it is getting better, it is getting better communicated. But the level of communication now is not what it was in [year].
Well, I think a lot of it is like I didn’t really know what was going on, and then I’ve got friends who are younger and I’ve also lived with people that are... well, they were younger, obviously they’re now starting to come through the leaving care side, and it’s like I don’t... I’d want them to know, because I wanted to know. Like it’s taken for me to be 20... 23, 24, to find stuff out that you should've really have been finding out at 18.
So, it’s just... it’s just the fairness of it.
So, you’re sort of more involved so that the younger ones can benefit from knowing earlier?
Yeah, well I know that the stuff that we’re doing now is not going to affect me, like I’m [age] this year, so it’s not going to affect me. But like with my friends and with people that I’ve lived with, they should still get what I’ve in the end had to find out about, but if they find out about it earlier, then they can get it from earlier.
Jordan moved to another Staying Put carer on his 18th birthday.
Jordan moved to another Staying Put carer on his 18th birthday.
But because of the time it was, I mean this was literally in the [Month], and my birthday was the [Month], so I then got put with another Staying Put carer, so I actually moved on my 18th birthday to this new Staying Put carer.
Jordan explained that a false allegation was sent to the Disclosure and Barring Service before it was investigated, putting him at risk and preventing him from working for two years.
Jordan explained that a false allegation was sent to the Disclosure and Barring Service before it was investigated, putting him at risk and preventing him from working for two years.
I had a bit of difficulty because when I was at uni, I worked in a residential children’s home, and one of the young people made an allegation against me. The allegation was proven to be false, but by the time it had been proven to be false, they had... the company had written to DBS, so DBS were wanting to put me on the barred list, and they wrote to me and said, “Why shouldn’t you be on this list?” So, I wrote back, I gave my evidence and they said to me that they’d give me a reply within 10 days: 10 days turned into just under two years. So, there wasn’t anything that... because every time I was applying for stuff, it was flagged, and then I’d have to explain, and then once I’d explained they were just like, “Oh, well, we don’t really want to risk it.”
Oh, OK, so that put you in a limbo.
So that... yeah. So, I spent a year and a half to two years not being able to do much.
Jordan spent most of his time helping other care leavers, and said it stopped him having to focus on himself.
Jordan spent most of his time helping other care leavers, and said it stopped him having to focus on himself.
I go to work. I come home. I’ve got an elderly neighbour, so I walk his dog. And then I’ll just relax and then go to bed. I don’t really do anything. It’s a bit... I say I don’t really do anything: I do a lot for the care leavers, and it’s starting to drain, but then again, is one of them where I don’t want to stop, because I know that if I stop, I’ll have to focus on myself, so I just... I don’t do a lot, but I do a lot at the same time, if that makes sense?
Staying put carers didn’t want Jordan to move in full time when he lost his place at uni.
Staying put carers didn’t want Jordan to move in full time when he lost his place at uni.
But these Staying Put carers... I think on reflection they were only really in it for the money. They complained about me having to come back from uni, so I ended up staying at uni full-time, throughout the year, because I had this scholarship from uni which gave me the accommodation for free for the full, like, 52 weeks. I got into a little bit of trouble at uni because I made friends with the wrong sort of people, and ended up losing the scholarship, but by the time I’d lost the scholarship, the carers had said that they weren’t willing to have me as... because I need... because uni were going to kick me out, so obviously I needed somewhere to live back home, and the carers turned round and said, “well, we only agreed to Staying Put, we didn’t agree to full-time,” so I then had to move again.
Jordan rebuilt his life by reaching out to his former university for a second chance, which they offered on the condition that he lived off campus.
Jordan rebuilt his life by reaching out to his former university for a second chance, which they offered on the condition that he lived off campus.
The year because I had this scholarship from uni which gave me the accommodation for free for the full, like, 52 weeks. I got into a little bit of trouble at uni because I made friends with the wrong sort of people, and ended up losing the scholarship. But by the time I’d lost the scholarship, the carers had said that they weren’t willing to have me as... like, because uni were going to kick me out, so obviously I needed somewhere to live back home, and the carers turned round and said, “Well, we only agreed to Staying Put, we didn’t agree to full-time,” so I then had to move again. I then spoke with uni and it was like: “What if I sort myself out, can I come back?” Kind of thing, and they said to me basically that they would agree for me to come back on the condition that I wasn’t allowed to live in student accommodation.
After several university rejections, Jordan wasn’t sure whether to stop trying, but with support from colleagues he didn’t give up.
After several university rejections, Jordan wasn’t sure whether to stop trying, but with support from colleagues he didn’t give up.
I probably would have given up in all honestly because I’d attempted applying for uni multiple times and every time I just got the rejection, and I think it was getting to the point where I was just like: ‘at what stage do I give up?’ Because I’ve always... I’ve always fought, and it’s, I’ve never known when to stop. And I think it was getting to the point where it was like... it got to... even when I was applying with the help of these guys, I had to... I thought to myself: ‘after all the difference that I’ve done in this last... whilst I’ve been working here, if uni then turn round and say no, is that my sign to give up?’ So, the thought process was still there, but I think... and I spoke with my managers at work and they were like, “Well, you’re going to get it,” So you know, they... even when I’d doubted myself and they... they pushed me through it.
They sounded like they were confident for you.
I think they were a lot more confident than I was, yeah.
Jordan experienced burnout after working in a place with poor management, unkind colleagues, and long hours.
Jordan experienced burnout after working in a place with poor management, unkind colleagues, and long hours.
Well, it was retail, so it was... the job itself I liked – I was busy. Like, there was people interaction, it was just management was poor. And then the team I was working with, they were very... the easiest way of putting it is they were very bitchy and they were very... they’d stab you in the back, and it just... it all just got... I was... I ended getting burnout because I was working ridiculous hours and not really benefiting from it.
Jordan’s colleagues encouraged him to apply to university and helped with the application and mock interviews, which helped him progress in his career.
Jordan’s colleagues encouraged him to apply to university and helped with the application and mock interviews, which helped him progress in his career.
And then with the people that I work with will... like I’ve said, they’ve helped me get back into uni; they’re helping me progress, like, career-wise.
So how have they helped you, like is there something they’ve done kind of specifically?
Well, they went through my whole application with me and prepared me, helped me with the personal statement, interview, like they’ve... yeah, they’ve been through that process with me.
Jordan said his personal adviser had known him since he was younger and understood his trust issues, so he didn’t have to start again with someone new.
Jordan said his personal adviser had known him since he was younger and understood his trust issues, so he didn’t have to start again with someone new.
I actually, I met my PA when I was younger because my PA actually was a worker in the residential that I lived at, when I was younger. So, she agreed to take me on because she said she knew me and that it wouldn’t... like, it wouldn’t be another professional that I have to talk to.
They didn’t know they were going to be my PA, if I... meant like they’d moved jobs, so they were working in the residential, and then she became a PA, so it wasn’t like a case of: ‘oh, she’s going to be my PA,’ it was just by chance.
OK. But you happened to know this person already?
At that... yeah, and she said because she knew me as a person from obviously being a child, I lacked trust in professionals, so she knew, like knowing me that I wouldn’t want to have to open up to another new professional who didn’t know me, to get to know me, whereas she knew me. So where like she had that relationship with me, so it was just able to carry on.
Jordan wanted support to be fair for all care leavers, and not change depending on where they live or how much money their council has.
Jordan wanted support to be fair for all care leavers, and not change depending on where they live or how much money their council has.
And then it... again, it comes back down to funding, so they might have the funding to do that – we don’t. But then we’re doing this that they’re not doing, so you know it kind of balances out.
OK. So you’ve noticed that some of the other local authorities might be... they might provide something that’s different but—
Well, like a good example of it is our local authority, you work with them until you’re 25: in [local authority], it’s 28.
Oh, OK.
So it’s stuff like that. We have bus passes, you have bus passes up until you’re 21 here: again, in places like [local authority], [local authority], they’re 20-... 27, 28.
And it’s... it’s just... it’s stuff like that, it’s just little things like that which—
It sounds like—
—would be beneficial, but again it’s... it’s all... obviously [local authority] and [local authority] are a little bit more affluicient [sic] I don’t know what the word is, they have higher funding compared to... the South has higher funding compared to the North, without wanting to start a north/south of like war.
[chuckles] Yeah.
The South, it’s more known for having higher funding, so they might be able to do more stuff that we can’t.
Jordan said he coped by masking his feelings, keeping busy, and shutting people out when things got too much.
Jordan said he coped by masking his feelings, keeping busy, and shutting people out when things got too much.
I still struggle, but then I also... I’m also, I’m very good at putting on a front, so I can... I can mask it, and I just... I try and keep myself busy as well so that I’m not focusing on my own stuff. So, like I’ll be doing what I need to do at work, or I’ll be helping out with the care leavers and doing a lot of stuff with the care leavers.
I... I shut everyone out.
Uh-huh.
I’d go off the grid; I wouldn’t... I wouldn’t talk to people.
Mm. So are there things that make you happy at this point, either... is there something?
I wouldn’t say happy, just more like stable, like this music.
Music?
Yeah.
OK. What are you listening to?—
Because I just put... I put my headphones on and it just... you know, it just drowns out the rest of the world.
Mm. Is that a way to help you sort of calm yourself?
I think, again, it’s just another distraction.
OK. So, I see. Does it... does that work, or is it just temporary?
I mean it... it works when I’m... when I’m not busy and I’ve got headphones on, then it’s... but then, I try and keep myself busy so I don’t have to worry about... about that, so it’s a bit of a double-edged sword really.
Jordan said he was a visual learner and struggled when his university moved all classes online.
Jordan said he was a visual learner and struggled when his university moved all classes online.
I’m much more visual. Like I massively struggled because like when I was going into uni, I had the motivation to go because I had a reason to go, like if I needed to go... if I needed to go the library, I could use whatever sources from the library, and the library was also where I would go when I was having relationship difficulties. Obviously that was... that was taken away. My ex... like my ex-partner was a [health professional], so she was at the hospital, but then obviously when she came back from the hospital it’s like I didn’t really want to... because she’s been around it, so I wouldn’t want to... so we were isolating from each other despite living in the same... in the same place, and it just... Yeah, and it just... yeah, I’m... because I’m more of... like I said, I’m much more of a visual learner: I’d rather have stuff in front of me. Online, it’s literally a case of: ‘ah, well, we’ll just put it up online, you can do it’, and it just... I found that there wasn’t really any motivation for me, even though it was my final year and it should have motivated me – it didn’t.
Jordan explained that after Covid many personal advisers didn’t return, caseloads increased, and support became much harder to access.
Jordan explained that after Covid many personal advisers didn’t return, caseloads increased, and support became much harder to access.
Yeah, support has changed. A lot of people are finding it more difficult to get in touch with the support networks. There is... there’s been some people that I know where their PAs have not returned from the pandemic and so they’ve been allocated a new one. And I got allocated a new one as well and, you know, because mine left and it just... When new ones are being brought in and you’ve got all the... they’re trying to catch up with everybody, and I think a lot of it is obviously with my PA, I’m older, so I’m probably not as... which is fine with me, I’m not really that arsed like if she puts a younger one before me – that’s fine – but there’s times when like... if, you know, if I am struggling and I need her and then it’s: “OK, so, oh, well, I only work part-time,” or, “I’m really busy until this day,” and then this day comes along and it’s like, “Oh, well, can we push it back a little bit?” or...
OK. It sounds like they’re not available as much for some reason.
I think a lot of them are taking on... there’s a much higher caseload. And that I see it, I see it with the job that I do as well, when you’ve got... you’ve got like... you’ve got the young people of [local authority], and then you’ve got all... with everything with the asylum seekers, and then there’s been other... so like there’s been issues where like... you know, [City] council have gone bust, so then authorities are helping out with that and there’s a lot of work and not a lot of time.