Stand By Me – Flexible and Holistic Support for Young Care Leavers: Smoothing Transitions from Care

Jade Purtella and Philip Mendes - Children Australia, Volume 1, Special Issue 003

This article examines the Stand By Me (SBM) programme, which was developed in Victoria to replicate the ongoing support provided in the UK to care leavers by Personal Advisers who remain available to assist young people until 21 years of age. According to this article, evaluation of the SBM programme has shown that ongoing, holistic support, including housing support, has assisted 12 young people through the SBM pilot to access stable housing, address multiple and complex issues, and form trusting relationships with SBM workers that contribute to positive outcomes.