Over the past week the government has introduced a series of policy changes aimed at improving housing outcomes for care leavers.
Coram Voice has worked alongside policy officials and partners across the sector to highlight the challenges experienced by care leavers and the practical solutions that can help address them. It is encouraging to see many of these issues reflected in the latest policy changes.
Every year, Coram Voice supports hundreds of care leavers through its Advocacy Helpline, local advocacy services and homeless outreach work. Housing is consistently one of the most common issues that young people seek support with, with many struggling to access suitable accommodation, navigate complex housing systems, or secure the support they need to prevent homelessness.
Through our direct work with care leavers, we see the impact that insecure housing can have on every aspect of a young person’s life, including their education, employment, wellbeing and ability to build independent lives. We also hear first-hand about the barriers that many care leavers continue to face when seeking housing assistance.
The changes to legislation, policy and guidance aim to strengthen the support available to care leavers and improve their access to safe and stable accommodation. They include:
We particularly welcome the increased emphasis on joint working between children’s services and housing departments, the recognition that local authorities must have sufficient accommodation options to meet a range of need and the expectation that all care-experienced young people are supported to maintain strong, stable and supportive relationships that can provide emotional security and dependability.
However, significant challenges remain. Care leavers continue to be overrepresented among young people experiencing homelessness, and many face financial hardship as they move towards independence. Young refugees and migrants, and those who are disabled or with long term conditions often face further inequality. Wider system challenges such as rising housing costs, shortages of affordable homes and increasing pressure on support services mean that too many young people leaving care still struggle to find somewhere safe, suitable and affordable to live.
While these policy changes are welcome, they must form part of a wider commitment to improving housing outcomes for care-experienced young people. This includes increasing the supply of affordable and social housing, strengthening homelessness prevention, and ensuring that care leavers have the financial security and emotional and practical support needed to thrive in adulthood.
- Coram Voice Advocacy Service runs a homelessness outreach project for young people.
- Coram’s Voices in Action youth homelessness programme empowers young people with lived experienced of homelessness or housing insecurity to influence change.