Council celebrates National Care Leavers Week 2024
National Care Leavers Week 2024: Celebrating Together, Achieving Together
Shropshire Council is proud to support this year’s National Care Leavers Week 2024 from Monday, 28 October to Sunday, 3 November.
Mural created by Shropshire Care Leavers
The annual campaign aims to bring communities together to celebrate care leavers, amplify their voices, raise awareness of the challenges they face, and encourage policy and practice changes to better support them.
Organised by Become a national charity dedicated to children in care and young care leavers, this year’s theme is “All of Us, We are One.” and is an opportunity for young care leavers to challenge existing perceptions and raise awareness about the issues they face.
Beyond – All of us, We are one graphic
The week-long celebration calls upon everyone to CARE: Celebrate care leavers, Amplify their voices, Raise awareness of challenges, and Encourage change in policy and practice.
The role of corporate parents
Shropshire Council aims to support the majority of its children and young people within their families and communities. However, for some, alternative care arrangements are necessary. Corporate Parenting is the collective responsibility of the Council and its partners to provide safe, meaningful, and effective protection for children and young people in care and care leavers. The responsibility extends to the age of 25 as some leave care before they are 18.
Shropshire council currently supports 286 care leavers who are 18+ and 734 children looked after.
As corporate parents, the council have made a pledge to care leavers to: –
- Keeping you safe: Ensuring a safe living environment where care leavers feel valued and protected from harm.
- Where you live: Providing stable homes where young people feel happy, safe, and supported as part of the community.
- Your friends and family: Facilitating connections with important people and creating opportunities for new experiences.
- Your health, wellbeing, and lifestyle: Supporting care leavers to live happy and healthy lives and providing access to necessary emotional support.
- Your voice: Encouraging care leavers to express their views and involving them in decisions affecting their lives.
- Your education, work, and learning: Supporting educational and career aspirations to help care leavers achieve their full potential.
- Your future: Preparing care leavers for independence with the skills and confidence needed for adult life.
Councillor Kirstie Hurst-Knight, Cabinet member for children and education, said:
“Every child and young person in the care of the Council has the right to expect the same level of care and support as they would from a good parent. This involves ensuring a safe and secure environment, protecting, and supporting children and young people against life’s dangers, being ambitious for their future, and celebrating their achievements.
“As a corporate parent, we are committed to supporting our care leavers and ensuring they have the opportunities and resources they need to thrive.
“National Care Leavers Week is a vital time to recognise their achievements and to raise awareness of the challenges they face. Together, we can make a significant difference in their lives.”
Events and Activities
Throughout the week, Shropshire Council and care leavers will be hosting various events to celebrate and support care leavers, promote awareness, and offer care leaves an opportunity to amplify their voice and encouraging change in policy and practice.
Shropshire’s Local Offer for Care Leavers
Shropshire Councils care leavers’ ‘local offer’ has been produced to give care leavers, an idea of what services and support the council provides. To find out more about the support for care leavers in Shropshire visit Leaving care | Shropshire Council
For more information on National Care Leavers Week 2024 and how you can get involved, please visit National Care Leavers’ Week – Become
