Using young people’s voices to shape leaving care services

Stockport recognised that traditional data about care leavers, such as education or accommodation figures, only tells part of the story. It does not capture how young people actually feel about their lives. Through their work with the Bright Spots programme, Stockport wanted to better understand young people’s subjective well-being – i.e. whether they feel happy, safe, and supported. The aim was to place young people’s voices at the centre of service design and ensure that their experiences directly influence improvements to leaving care support.

Stockport’s Leaving Care Team began this journey in 2013 by engaging with a different Bright Spots offer – the New Belongings programme. This work helped to embed a culture of directly listening to their young people. In 2019, Stockport ran their first Bright Spots survey to systematically gather feedback from care-experienced young people. They repeatedly ran the surveys from 2019 through to 2023, with consistently high response rates – between 78–81% of young people shared their views each time. Insights from the surveys were used to co-produce a Leaving Care Action Plan, ensuring that services are shaped by what matters most to young people and continually refined based on their feedback.

Working with the Bright Spots programme has lead to a strong, co-produced local offer grounded in young people’s priorities. Findings highlight several “Bright Spots”, including high levels of trust in leaving care workers (98%), strong support networks (94% having someone who listens), and positive relationships with professionals. Young people in Stockport also report higher access to digital connectivity and meaningful sources of emotional support, such as pets. Overall, the approach has strengthened relationships, improved well-being, and ensured services are responsive, personalised, and rooted in lived experience.