Why?

Bromley’s Your Life Beyond Care survey findings showed that about a third of care leavers (30%) did not always feel safe at home and nearly 2 in 5 (39%) did not always feel settled where they lived.

What?

The Change for Care leavers group (CfCL) group reviewed the survey findings and selected their key priorities for action. One of these was ‘feeling safe and settled’. Care leavers worked together to think about why the issue was important, suggest some initial ideas about what the council could do to help and what the care leaver group could do.

 

Their ideas included:

More help before care leavers are responsible for their own property

When young people have their new homes, workers should visit more regularly until they are settled

Property checks before the young person moves in

The group helped organise a dissemination meeting with key partners to discuss the findings and their initial ideas. Young people co-hosted the event (there were 2 young people per table to chair the discussion). There was good attendance and engagement from across Bromley.

As a result of the work the council has been working on the following:

Keyworkers have been attending accommodation viewings with young people

Considering neighbours and neighbourhood when identifying housing for care leavers

Care leavers have been given training to inspect accommodation providers with the Placement Officer

Floating support has been extended to young people

Children in care council has raised funding to start a house warming gift project

Empowering foster carers to offer support and advice when young people move on

Delivered MyBNK workshops to care leavers to improve financial literacy

Providing food parcels and play packs for young parents during lockdown

Impact

The Bright Spots findings provided an evidence base for extending services and a platform to engage key partners. It was an important opportunity for young people to shape service delivery. The first surveys took place in 2018- 2019 – Bromley have committed to doing them again in 2020-2021 to see if there have been improvements in how their young people are feeling in the areas that were targeted for action. One of the priorities for the care leavers group remains ensuring the Bright Spots finding continue to be heard. They continue to meet the Head of Service to discuss progress on the action plan.