Shared Lives Plus supports National Care Leavers Week: “All of Us, We are One”

Over 38,000 young people leave care in the UK each year, and worryingly, one in four care leavers will experience homelessness within two years. We are working with local authorities, the NHS, and voluntary sector partners to expand our care leavers programme across 25 local areas in England, Scotland, and Wales.

The programme is co-designed with young people, focusing on providing care-experienced young people with learning disabilities, autism or mental health challenges a stable and supportive home environment.

The Shared Lives model has earned a 96% ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’ from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in England, surpassing the 83% average for traditional social care models. In addition to its high-quality care, the model is also cost-effective, saving local authorities between £8,000 to £30,000 per person per year annually, allowing these savings to be reinvested in other community services.

At the recent Local Government Association (LGA) conference in Harrogate, key themes that were repeatedly raised during discussions included the pressures created by high-cost placements for children in care and care leavers, the ongoing housing crisis, and the increasing needs of SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) and complex care leavers. The Shared Lives model is potential solution to address these critical issues.

Our care leavers programme has been shaped the experiences of those who have experienced adverse childhood conditions and survivors of trauma. The model facilitates structured transitions for care leavers, allowing young people to access support before they turn 18. This helps to reduce the risks and challenges that can occur during this critical transition.

Additionally, our trauma-informed approach ensures that care-experienced young people are treated with compassion and respect, receiving the emotional and practical support they need to heal and grow.

Victoria Odude, Shared Lives Plus’s Communication and Engagement Officer is leading these efforts. Victoria, who has experienced the care system herself, is running focus groups and visiting schemes to hear directly from young people, carers and scheme workers.

Victoria will also be attending the ‘Collaborate for Change’ event at City Hall during national Care Leavers Week to discuss with policymakers, care professionals, and care-experienced young people how we can improve support for care leavers.

You can find out more about our work with care leavers here.