A new series of pledges are being made to young people leaving care in Liverpool.
The Care Leavers’ Charter lays down the support Liverpool City Council should provide for young people when they start living independently.
Proposals include developing a bond guarantor scheme to help young people seeking to rent from a private landlord and looking at how else it could support young people who only move into their own accommodation after the age of 21.
The city council is also pledging to help care leavers achieve creative ambitions and aspirations, such as by developing talents in music or sport.
There are also proposals to draw up a guide to entitlements, provide easy access to the complaints process and simplify access to their records.
The document has been drawn up by the Children In Care Council – a group of young people who represent the views of young people in care. They meet regularly with senior councillors and Directors to feedback and give ideas.
Councillor Jane Corbett, Cabinet member for children’s services, said: “We take our responsibilities towards our young people in care extremely seriously because we are their parents.
“This new document shows the council is listening to young people in care and has turned it into a pledges based on strong principles.
“Leaving care is always a challenging time for our young people, and as with any other parent, the council wants to do the best by those it is responsible for.”
The pledges are:
- To respect and honour
- To believe
- To listen
- To inform
- To support
- To find a home
- To be a lifelong champion
Michael Binns, co-chair of the Children in Care Council, said: “For me, the Charter is important because it gives the whole council a simple framework which will benefit young people leaving care.
“It also gives care leavers an idea of the service they can expect and information about some of their rights.”
Liverpool currently support 288 young people aged 18 to 25 who have left the care of the Local Authority.
**Picture shows care leavers sign charter (l-r) Jake Kellie, Michael Binns, Amina Hossain**
