Care leavers’ transitions to independence

I had key workers at the time who were supporting me, so they are the ones who registered me in school and who found me a lawyer, and the lawyers helped me with the paper, with the claim, with the asylum claim, and that's how I got my papers.

I think it would be really helpful to have an adult present with them that they know and that they can trust, ’cause I think there’s a lot of legal questions that you get and it’s really frustrating when you can’t really answer them and there’s no one really to ask.

When I feel I went and I start planning for the future, I feel like I’m not sure.

And I was feeling like er when I just plan: ‘yeah, I want to do this, I want to do that, I want to do that,’ I can’t do that because I don’t have the right like the government and the paper and I was not sure about: where am I staying; is this my future; do I have... am I going to stay here? So that really challenge me.

I think if they... they will give you a decision after interview, I think especially when you are like in a care leaver, or anything, for these people, if they give you like to give it to make it like quicker process of the interview and give them the decision quickly because this stage is you decide for the future, just like a foundation for tomorrow, or for your future.

So, to know about your future, just like the main thing.

So, if we know this, it will be better, like it will give you more chance to plan.

At first, yes. When I was still in [City] ’cause I thought that... or like if I had my status, things would be different, but then I got to meet more people and I got to meet more organisations. and after asking around, I realised that it doesn’t really make much of a difference. I mean, it’s... it’s good to have it, but even without it, you can do a lot of things. So I got busy with other things: I started doing a lot of volunteering when I was in [City] and that sort of kept my mind out of thinking about it. 

Even when you want to work volunteer, for example, I ask to work with children, because I like children, you still need that paper, and you still need like was that, DBS?

Oh, DBS, yeah, they have to check your background.

Uh-huh. For that you need the paper and the passport that can tell about you.

OK. So, you can’t volunteer until you can be DBS checked, which then you need Right to Remain in order to do that.

So, then you can’t work.

OK, yes, that’s true.

You can’t even... there are banks that can’t give you a bank card without that one.

The charity were helping with my case because it was taking long for me to get an interview when I claimed asylum. They were writing emails to my lawyer to update them what’s happen, to check the updates as to where my case is standing, and also to let them know about my health issues, how was, how it was affecting me. 

Like those times, I was feeling low, and like because I see my friends, I was really dedicating, but I feel like sometimes you feel like you are putting so much effort, and there are kids like, they have given, given, given, and they don’t care about that. But for me that’s life-changing and like a priority for me, and I’m trying to do my best, but I feel like I’m just alone. 
 
And I miss my mum, and there is a language barrier, and just a lot of things, and there was times, I’m trying to push hard, and there are things to pull me down. 
 
I have to fight them. There was times and I cry like every day when I was going. I will miss train, and I wake up early, so there will be delay in the line. A lot of things, and when you... that time, I was not like good with English as well, there is a language barrier, then when I ask people, they might not understand you. So I will be embarrassed even to ask like, because you spoke English. Sometimes you will not be free even to ask help. 
 
So it was really challenging. 
 
Mm. You said you were feeling a bit low as well. 
 
At that time, yeah, I was feeling low. But talking to my teacher and with the help of my PA and the care worker, yeah, and the... the thing that I really want to achieve my goal, so that didn’t push me to pass those things, those feelings in my head. 

I was kind of happy at the moment, at that time, ’cause I thought I had someone who was taking care of me. I thought someone... I had someone who loves me. But those things changed after a while, like after I got my status. I don’t know why these guys changed on me, but... ’cause I haven’t done anything bad to them, ’cause as far as I know, as far as everyone knows me, I’m a good guy, respectful, and a kind guy. Out of a sudden, those guys who take care of me, they change... they suddenly changed on me. Even when I got my status, they said that: “I’m sure that your behaviour is gonna change.” I didn’t understand what they meant, because, like, when people say that, actually, I thought it means that I am going to be a kind of person, like greedy person, ’cause I have my status now. No one’s gonna say things to me and stuff, but I’m not that kind of person. I don’t know how you do... they think about it, but the thing was on me, ’cause they were the one who really changed on me, because I’m there, being kind, even though they are disrespecting me, or not disrespect, being, let’s say, offensive, or they don’t really care about me. And then, now they started now bringing some bad things onto me, like they start saying that I’m a bad person, I’m disrespectful, even in college I’m not a good guy. But everything is a lie ’cause this organisation that I’m now in, other places, even since I came to this country, my foot stepped into this country the first time, up to now, I have, like, many, many... what is it called...? It’s not evidence, and I have lots of new witnesses that says that [name], as a person, is a good guy, and stuff, but I don’t know why those guys changed on me.