Reconnecting with family and carers
We understand that relationships with family members, former carers and other important people can be complicated. If you want to rebuild or strengthen these relationships, your Personal Adviser (PA) can work with you to explore who is important to you and what support you might need.
Where appropriate, we can work with our Family Solutions team to help you reconnect with family members safely, improve communication and develop positive relationships. The support you receive will be based on what you want and what is right for you.
Maintaining important relationships
Leaving care should not mean losing contact with people who matter to you. We can help you maintain relationships with former foster carers, residential workers, teachers, family members and other adults who have been important in your life.
Your PA can help you identify your support network, stay connected with trusted people and strengthen the relationships that help you feel supported, valued and connected.
Trusted adult support
Everyone needs someone they can turn to. Your Personal Adviser will work with you to identify trusted adults in your life and help you build and maintain those relationships.
A trusted adult could be a former carer, family member, teacher, coach, youth worker or another positive adult who provides encouragement, advice and emotional support when you need it.
Peer mentoring
Sometimes it helps to speak to someone who has been through similar experiences. Peer mentoring can connect you with other care-experienced young people who can share advice, encouragement and practical guidance about navigating adulthood, education, employment and independent living.
Peer support can help reduce isolation, build confidence and remind you that you are not alone.
Befriending
If you feel isolated or would like more social connections, we can help you access befriending opportunities in your local community.
Befriending services can provide regular social contact, help you build confidence, improve wellbeing and support you to become more involved in your community and local activities.
Community networks
We can help you connect with local groups, activities and organisations that match your interests and goals.
Through the Care Leavers Hub, you can access a range of opportunities to try new experiences, develop skills and meet new people. Activities may include walking groups in the Lake District, gardening projects, music production sessions, creative activities, volunteering opportunities and community events.
You do not need to have any previous experience or skills to get involved. These activities are a chance to build confidence, improve wellbeing, develop friendships and discover interests you may not have had the opportunity to explore before. By getting involved in your local community, you can create new connections, increase your independence and develop a sense of belonging.
Bereavement support
Experiencing the death of someone important can be incredibly difficult. If you are struggling with grief or loss, your Personal Adviser can help you access emotional and practical support.
Support available locally includes:
St Mary's Hospice offers specialist bereavement support, one-to-one emotional support, bereavement groups and Compassionate Cafés in both Furness and South Lakes areas. Support is available even if the person who died was not known to hospice services.
Cruse Bereavement Support provides free bereavement support and information for people experiencing grief and loss, including services available across Cumbria.
Child Bereavement UK provides specialist support for bereaved children, young people and families, including face-to-face support in Kendal and Carlisle, as well as telephone and online support.
Every Life Matters Cumbria offer support following bereavement by suicide.