OPINION: Suffolk’s Local Offer to Care Leavers

There are around 900 Suffolk children in the care of Suffolk County Council.

Children come into care for all sorts of reasons, of the children I have spoken to it can be because they have been bereaved, because their parents are unable to care for them due to their own challenges, or because they are not safe at home. The children in care that I have met are the most resilient and brilliant children.

Leaving care can also be a difficult transition.

Care Leavers often do not have the help of a family, to seek out new opportunities, find somewhere to live, and support them to develop the skills to get them ready for life. That’s where we come in.

Local Authorities have a collective responsibility to actively promote the life chances of children in care and care leavers and provide them with the best possible care and protection, as if they were our own children. This is known as being a ‘Corporate Parent’ and it means doing everything we can for every child in the council's care and every care leaver.

Put simply: we want our care leavers to have the same opportunities as other children, because they deserve that.

It can be actions that may seem little – simply being a listening ear or offering advice on every day issues can make a huge difference to a young person who has not had the family support that many of us may take for granted.

Most young people leave the care of the local authority at the time of their 18th birthday, but our support continues beyond this, as any parent’s support would - to help our young people to adapt to independent living; be that through support to access further education, employment or housing.

Suffolk County Council’s Leaving Care Service works in close partnership with other agencies, such as health, schools and colleges, employers and the voluntary sector to identify relevant opportunities for all care leavers across the county and beyond.

Working with our care leavers around the county, Suffolk County Council has agreed a Local Offer to care leavers, which describes what they are entitled to, what Suffolk County Council provides, and how care leavers can access support from a range of services, including support with accommodation, financial advice, wellbeing and relationship support.

Turning 18 can feel daunting, with lots of familiar things coming to a sudden end. Our Staying close team works with young people to help them plan and prepare for moving on once they are 18. The team can support our young people with a smooth transition into housing, place they can call home, alongside a package of emotional and practical support as they transition into adulthood and develop the skills they need to achieve independence.

The Local Offer also includes support to ensure our young people have the skills and access to resources they need to take their first step into training or employment.

One way we do this is through The Family Business.

The Family Business is Suffolk County Council's innovative employment model, providing care leavers with employment opportunities. We do this by behaving as if they were our own children; being their champions and using our vast network to open the door to opportunities that they may not otherwise have access to.

It includes ring-fenced apprenticeships within Suffolk County Council, employment opportunities with local businesses, and a bespoke training and support programme through an 8-week Skills Academy, which prepares our young people for work to set them on the path to success.

Since its launch in September 2023, the Family Business has grown with more employers coming on board.

If you can support a Care Leaver with employment opportunities, we would love to hear from you. Please contact us at thefamilybusiness@suffolk.gov.uk.

To learn more about The Family Business, watch our film detailing the impact of the support employers could provide.

Our Local Offer to Care Leavers can be found here.