Support for care leavers

Information about personal advisers and one-to-one support, extra help for care leavers who are parents or have special educational needs, and how to ask for an independent advocate.

As a care leaver, you may be entitled to a range of support depending on your circumstances and leaving care status. This page explains what help is available, who can support you, and how to access services and advice when you need them.

On this page:

Eligibility

The support we give you depends on your leaving care status. If you're not sure, you can ask your personal adviser for help. 

Coram Voice also provides information about what services you may be eligible for. 

Support

It’s important that we provide you with the best support we can offer. This could be from your personal adviser or other services we provide. Or it might be from other services that offer advocacy and support groups in our area. 

Advice and support from your personal adviser

Your personal adviser is there to help you to prepare to live independently and to offer advice and support after you leave care. They should talk to you about what support you need and record this information in your pathway plan. 

Aged 16 to 18

We will allocate a personal adviser to you on your 16th birthday. 

Your personal adviser will offer advice and guidance to help you to prepare for living independently. Your carer and social worker will help with this too. You will have a pathway plan, which is a plan to help you make the transition from care to independent life. 

Your personal adviser will work alongside your social worker and will visit you least once every twelve weeks. They will work to build a relationship with you, to prepare for when you leave care at 18.

Aged 18 to 21

Once you turn 18, in most cases, you will no longer have a social worker. You will still have a personal adviser. 

Your personal adviser will make sure that you get the services you need. They will also coordinate your pathway plan and reviews. 

They will contact you at least every eight weeks. How they keep in touch will depend on your needs, wishes and feelings. However, they will always try to work with you so that they can visit you regularly. It’s important that we keep in touch, so we understand what support you need. It’s also important that your relationship with your personal adviser remains as positive as possible.

Keep in Touch service (aged 21 to 25)

We want to stay connected with all our care leavers and make sure you know that support is available whenever you need it.

From age 21 up to your 25th birthday, you can continue to receive support from us, even if you no longer have a Pathway Plan or regular contact with a Personal Adviser. We understand that there may be times when you feel independent and do not need ongoing support, but your circumstances can change.

Our Keep in Touch Service means that:

  • we will make reasonable efforts to stay in contact with you until you are 25
  • you can contact us at any time to ask for advice, information or support
  • you can ask for your support to be restarted if your needs change
  • we can provide or arrange support with: 
    • housing
    • education
    • employment
    • training
    • finances
    • health and wellbeing
    • relationships
    • other areas of adult life
  • we will make sure you know how to access services and opportunities available to care leavers
  • we will provide information about financial support and entitlements through our care leaver financial support guide

You do not have to be receiving an ongoing service to contact us. Whether you need advice, practical support, help during a crisis, or simply want to discuss your options, we are here for you.

Remember: once you're part of our care leaver family, our door remains open until your 25th birthday.

Registering to vote

Registering to vote is quick and easy, and helps you have a say in decisions that affect your community. As well as enabling you to vote in elections, being on the electoral register can help improve your credit record and make it easier to prove your identity when applying for financial services.

You need just five minutes and your National Insurance number. The easiest place to complete the application is online at GOV.UK - Register to vote.

You must only register to vote at the address you live at. If you live at two addresses because you are a student you may be able to register to vote at both addresses.

Being on the electoral register can also improve your credit score. This is because credit reference agencies can check the electoral register to help verify who you are when you apply for loans, mortgages, credit cards, and mobile phone contracts.  

You can submit an application to register to vote when you’re 16 years old, but you won’t be able to vote until the day you turn 18. You only need to register again if you move house, or if your eligibility to be included on the register changes.

How to vote at an election

Once you’re on the electoral register you can vote in person at your local polling station, by post, or by proxy (where you appoint someone you trust to cast your vote on your behalf).  

Polling stations are open from 7am to 10pm on polling day. If you’re on the register, we’ll always send you a poll card in the run up to the election to let you know where your polling station is. To vote in person at your polling station you’ll need to bring an accepted form of photo ID (such as a passport or photo driving licence).

You don’t need a reason to apply to vote by post, or by proxy if you apply for a specific election, but they are especially useful if you can’t get to the polling station on polling day.

You can find more information about registering to vote, applying to vote by post or by proxy, and how to apply for the free photo ID document to use at elections on our page: Voting and electoral registration.

Extra support

Extra support is available for young people in care or leaving care. Our team will work with you to think about what extra support you might need. 

There are some examples below of care experienced young people who might need extra help.

Becoming a parent

Becoming a parent can be both exciting and challenging.  

Care experienced parents can access support from their Personal Advisor throughout pregnancy and early parenthood. Your Personal Advisor will help you prepare for your new role and access financial support, housing advice, and practical assistance. They can also help you connect with your local Best Start Family Hub, where you can access groups, activities, advice, and support to build confidence, develop parenting skills, and strengthen connections within your community.

Young parents can access:

Best Start Family Hubs, which offer groups, activities, advice, and practical support from pregnancy onwards. Family Hubs provide opportunities to meet other parents, build confidence, access parenting information, and receive support to improve family wellbeing.

Family Help services, which can provide additional support with parenting, emotional wellbeing, housing, finances, education, employment, and accessing local services.

Advice and guidance on benefits, housing, education, employment, and childcare to help parents plan for their baby's future while achieving their own goals and aspirations.

To find out more about local support, groups, and activities visit:

Young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) 

We have published information about all the services, support and facilities for children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities (or both) in our area. This is information is referred to as our local offer. 

Our SEND local offer.

Advocacy

NYAS (National Youth Advocacy Service)

Children and young people in Westmorland and Furness can access free, independent advocacy support through NYAS (National Youth Advocacy Service).  

An advocate can help you have your voice heard, understand your rights, express your views, and be involved in decisions about your life, care, education, or services you receive. Advocacy is confidential, independent, and focused on ensuring your wishes and feelings are listened to and respected.  

For more information or to access support, visit NYAS Advocacy Services.