The Care Leavers’ Foundation was founded in December 1999 by 3 people who each put five pounds in the centre of the table as a beginning to the emerging concept for a significant national fund to be set up for care leavers.It would act in place of "the bank of absent mum and dad". The simple idea, that this fund would make grants to care leavers, was based on one overarching principle; that if a reasonable parent would help out in the situation described, then so would we. Since then The Foundation has achieved national recognition and made grants to hundreds of care leavers.
Where they operate
Organization Type
Main Areas of Work
What They Do
Whilst the primary purpose of the foundation remains that of making grants to care leavers below the age of 30, who have no recourse to statutory funding or other sources of support, their involvement in the wider sector, specifically influencing policy where they can to create real change for future care leavers, has also become a significant part of their activity.
The Foundation leads and coordinates National Care Leavers’ Week, established in 2002, engages regularly with the Department for Education and other Government Departments on areas of policy affecting care leavers, and through its campaigning partnerships has been the catalyst for achieving small but significant changes at a national level, including the first ever statement from a Government Minister defining the minimum acceptable amount which should be paid to care leavers when they set up their first home.
Organization Resources
This briefing paper provides general background on the development of UK Government policies to support care leavers, and existing support available in key areas such as: social services; housing; education and training; health services; and the social security system.
This guide from Coram Voice in the UK provides guidance to youth leaving or aging out of the foster care system, including informing care-leavers of their rights.
This Charter lists the promises that care leavers want the central and local governments to make. The Charter for Care Leavers is designed to raise expectations, aspirations and understanding of what care leavers need and what the government and local authorities should do to be good “Corporate Parents.”
