Shared Lives on BBC East – Victoria’s story as a care leaver
As seen on BBC East, Shared Lives offers a different approach to supporting care leavers – one built around real relationships, stability and support, in ordinary family homes.
Victoria’s story highlights how Shared Lives can help young people leaving care build confidence, independence and a strong sense of belonging.
Watch the BBC East feature
The BBC East clip will appear here once it is available. Please check back shortly after broadcast.
Victoria’s journey as a Care Leaver
Victoria is one of our Care Leaver Ambassadors, working with us on our programme to expand access to Shared Lives for care experienced young people.
In the BBC East feature, Victoria talks about the challenges of leaving care, what Shared Lives has meant for her day-to-day life, and the difference that a stable, supportive home environment has made.
How Shared Lives supports care leavers
Shared Lives matches young people and adults who need support with trained Shared Lives carers who welcome them into their hearts and their homes.
For care leavers, Shared Lives can provide:
- a stable home during transition to adulthood
- supportive relationships that grow over time
- space to build confidence and independence
- help navigating education, work and daily life
- a sense of belonging that may be missing after leaving care
Shared Lives is a community-based alternative to traditional housing or support services – grounded in genuine, long-term connection.
What would you like to do next?
If you’re a young person leaving care
See how Shared Lives can support you
If you’re a professional supporting young people
Explore how Shared Lives fits into care-leaver pathways
If you’re interested in becoming a Shared Lives carer
Find out more about the care leavers programme
The Shared Lives Care Leavers programme is an innovative two-year programme, running from 2024-2026 to support the growth and development of Shared Lives for care leavers by working with pilot sites across the UK, people with lived experience, and stakeholders.
The programme builds on the great work from the DfE Innovation project to spread and scale Shared Lives for care leavers with the ambitious vision that Shared Lives will be a core element of every Local Offer for Care Leavers.
Visit the programme pages to find out more. Shared Lives for care leavers
