The Care Leavers Programme

Background

Care leavers show remarkable resilience in stepping into independence at a young age.  With the right support, they can thrive – finding safe accommodation, pursuing education or work, enjoying good health and wellbeing and realising their ambitions. 

The transition to adulthood is significant for any young person, but for those leaving care it often comes without the family networks or resources many peers rely on.   This makes access to opportunities, encouragement and practical support especially important. 

The Care Leavers Programme is funding a wide range of opportunities – from employability support such as mentoring, careers coaching and work placements, to counselling, art therapy, sport and wellbeing activities, and practical help with housing and independent living like tenancy support, white goods, travel and driving lessons.  Grants have also enabled cultural trips, theatre and music activities, volunteering and other experiences that build skills, confidence and joy. 

Grants are being delivered through strong partnerships with local authorities, voluntary organisations, employers, universities and specialist advice services, ensuring support is flexible, practical and rooted in the real needs of care leavers. 

  

New report shows impact so far

In its first year, 17 community foundations supported more than 2,000 care leavers aged between 16 and 25 years old, by funding 59 organisations and 411 individuals directly.

Our new report, Connecting Care, shares experiences and impact so far of community foundations partnering with care leavers, support organisations and local authorities.

University students

Settle Support coaching

Driving lessons

A national collaboration

The Care Leavers Programme was launched in 2024 by the Local Authorities' Mutual Investment Trust (LAMIT) and UK Community Foundations, in collaboration with investment manager CCLA. 

The programme was designed to total £3.6 million over three years with match funding from local partners in collaboration with 17 community foundations based throughout England.

A new donation of £1.7 million over three years by the Henry Smith Foundation is expanding the programme out to 14 new areas in the UK, now including Northern Ireland and Wales.  This expansion brings the total programme value to £7 million, including matched funds, significantly increasing reach, impact and length of delivery to five years.  

  

“We’re delighted to fund the expansion of the Care Leavers Programme across the UK. This work is important and ambitious – bringing together community foundations, local authorities and the Henry Smith Foundation. Together, we’ll increase critical support for both care leavers and the charitable organisations supporting them as they navigate their way into adulthood.”

- Anand Shukla, Chief Executive at the Henry Smith Foundation

“I am absolutely delighted that the Henry Smith Foundation is helping us to take this work to new areas and for longer periods. By doing so they are helping shape young lives at a crucial point.”

- Cllr Richard Kemp CBE, former Lord Mayor of Liverpool and Chair of LAMIT

“The privilege of having a history as long as CCLA’s is that we have a huge network of churches, charities and local authorities whose community-oriented missions are aligned.

Being able to bring together those connections into meaningful partnerships for change is deeply rewarding and hearing the stories of communities supporting bright, care-experienced young people to realise their potential makes one realise it’s about much more than money.”

- Andrew Robinson MBE, Director Market Development at CCLA

  

31 participating community foundations

The expansion of the Care Leavers Programme means that 31 community foundations are now working with care leavers, support organisations and local authorities around the UK in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Each community foundation is matching its funding 1:1, which opens up the opportunity for local businesses and donors to become involved in the fantastic work happening to support care leavers locally. 

   

“The Care Leavers Programme has already demonstrated the power of local partnerships to create real, lasting change for care-experienced young people. The next phase represents a fantastic opportunity for more local and national partner organisations to help build a fairer start for young people leaving care, ensuring they have the support that every young person deserves.”

- Emma de Closset, Chief Executive at UK Community Foundations

 

Local authorities and care leaver support organisations are invited to connect with participating community foundations to share learning, initiatives and ideas so we can together strengthen opportunities for care-experienced young people around the UK.