Care leavers’ transitions to independence

Yeah, I would say I know quite a lot about it only because in the, like, participation groups, we do a lot of work on improving it and making it more understandable. I know even though I do that, I still... still find it quite confusing ’cause I feel like every person I speak to has different rules about it. But I know that in my County you get a free gym membership, you get a free air fryer, there’s the Setting Up Home Allowance which is £2,000, and you get things like... Because I’m at uni I get extra support, but because I’m doing nursing, it’s made it really confusing because it’s not like nursing has a really different timetable compared to normal uni courses, so it’s made that really confusing.

And there’s things that I know in the like, local care offer they have, like signposting to other services like CAMHS Care Leavers, which even though it’s run by CAMHS, it’s commissioned for up to 25’s and signposting to other health services.

The care offer is such a big document, it should be, like, provided to care leavers, but maybe in a more, like, young person-friendly language – still with it being, like, legally correct –but maybe more like young person-friendly so they’re more likely to read it and understand it.

It doesn’t state what you’re legally entitled to compared to what you’re just offered, but it’s not a legal entitlement.

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.

It was... and I was very lucky in that sense because I did have some good support workers who were very knowledgeable on what I was able to access and what I was entitled to. So, they taught me about the local offer, so things like [organisation] grant, things that I was able to access to support myself. They helped me get the white housing goods for my furniture in the household. They helped me out quite a bit. And it’s because of them being so good at their job, that I do that now for other care leavers, and I tell them what they’re entitled to. But unfortunately working alongside the PAs and the care leavers, I also see that not everyone... like they’re not all clued up and knowledgeable on what is accessible, which is why I do what I do, because a lot of care leavers just do not know about the local offer and they don’t know certain things that they should know. So, I like to preach that and make sure they’re up to date because things are always changing, and the entitlements are always getting better thankfully in our local area; it’s not the same for everyone.

I mean, it took me, like, six months to get given the local care offer, which I didn’t even realise was a thing until my sister left care and was like: “I got given this local care offer,” and I was like: ‘uh?’ I think that was just my circumstances – ’cause it was rushed – but I do know them now. Also, something people should find out.

OK. So, did you have to ask for it?

Yeah, I did. I had to message my new leaving care worker and be like: “Yo, so apparently...”

Oh, OK. Because you heard from your sister?

Yeah.

OK. So perhaps they need to tell you about that as well.

Yeah, I think it might be dependent on county councils, and stuff, as well though, because I’ve got a friend from [Local Authority] and she’s been given it at 17, the whole local offer thing, and I was like: “You were given it a year before me.”

Oh, wow, OK. OK.

It is really depending on the organisational skills of the workers I think at that point.

Mm, OK.—

It’s a distant error. It’s a... just inconsistency amongst each service.

I think as well, finance-wise, I mean I understand now, because I don’t think a lot of kids get the same experience I did because I think anyone else is aware of it unless you go to different areas, is like the difference in like care leavers offer from different councils. Now, if I went back and told the care leavers in [town], which is where I’m from, the things that [local authority] have for their kids, they’ll be like: ‘what the hell,’ because I had to work my ass off losing social time, losing time to be a teenager, because I was working, because, you know, I wanted... and I had no money so I had to pay stuff anyway, and then the things that I wanted to do like, you know, like learning to drive, rather than doing like a nice little evening jobs after college, or on the weekends, I had to work many, many hours just to save up 30 quid a... a lesson, and then you, you find out [local authority] basically pay it all [laughs]. So, you’re kind of like these little experiences, I know they’re not a massive difference… and like going to uni you get some more funding if you go... if you come from... live in [local authority], than you do in [town]. But like these little things, they make a massive difference because again it’s not like I’ve got someone to fall back on, I’ve not got a massive savings account, or all this stuff. It’s like, again, these things would have totally helped and it feels a bit demoralising that why is it not the same for everyone? Why is... what... like just because I was born in a different postcode to someone, and a different council, does... why is my experience and the things that I get completely different to someone else, even though we’ve both gone through an absolutely awful time with it, you know?

Yeah.

And it’s just hard, it’s just, it’s hard ’cause my local offer isn’t the best to be honest with you, it’s just not, it’s the bare minimum they need to tick all the boxes, and it’s fine, it’s more support than you’d get… I mean it’s that or nothing, isn’t it? And when you find out some of these other councils are going above and beyond, and really making sure that these people are safe and OK… and I’m not just talking about the money, I’m just talking about accommodations or somewhere to live and somewhere to stay, or how things are done and how they write to the young person, or communicate with them, it’s different, you know? And it’s not my PA’s fault, my PA’s been absolutely ace under the things that she’s been... policies and procedures that you get restricted to, ’cause it’s not... you’ve got a bit of legislation but you’re over 18, innit? So, it’s all a bit tougher, huh, so...

I’m fully aware of that, even my care leaver offer.

OK. And how... how are you told or informed?

That came in the... that came in the book... that came with the booklet I got when I left and became a... well, I hit 18, really.

Oh, OK, so they gave you a booklet?

Yeah.

OK. Ha... did you find... what, was that helpful for you, or did you feel like...?

I mean I’m not a reading guy. So, I... off the top of my head, I read the first page and I went: ‘oh, OK,’ but it was... it was fairly interesting, the first word was, yeah,

OK. Do you think that that’s the best way for care leavers to sort of read the... to get that information?

Yes, ’cause a lot of people like reading. I’m just a guy that will look at something and go: ‘unless that has something interesting on it, I’m not reading it.’ 

Mm, OK. So how would you... what would be easier for you to... to get that info?

Put it in a film.

Something you can watch?

Yeah, put it in a film or a game; I’ll be interested then.