Somerset Council is marking National Care Leavers Month this November by celebrating the achievements, resilience and potential of care-experienced young people across the county.
Throughout the month, a series of events and activities will bring together young people, staff, partners and elected members to showcase and celebrate the successes of care-experienced young people. County Hall will also be illuminated blue as a visible symbol of Somerset’s commitment to children and young people who have experienced care.
This year’s theme, From Experience to Empowerment, recognises the strength, determination and ambition of care-experienced young people and highlights the many ways they are building positive futures.
Across Somerset, care-experienced young people are achieving remarkable things. From securing apprenticeships and full-time employment to progressing in education and living independently, local young people are building bright futures and proving that their care experience does not limit what they can achieve.
This year alone, care leavers have secured jobs with major employers including Hinkley Point and Müller, completed college courses, passed driving tests, volunteered in their communities, rebuilt important family relationships and developed the skills and confidence needed for adulthood.
Among them is a young person who has achieved the remarkable milestone of purchasing their first home at just 20 years old, demonstrating the ambition, resilience and determination being shown by care-experienced young people across Somerset.
Councillor Heather Shearer, Somerset Council’s Lead Member for Children, Families and Education, said:
Every achievement has a story behind it, and many of our young people have overcome challenges that most of us can only imagine. That’s why National Care Leavers Month is so important. It gives us the opportunity to celebrate their successes, recognise how far they have come, and show just how proud we are as a corporate parent, of everything they are achieving.
Care-experienced young people have incredible potential, and with the right encouragement, opportunities and support, they can and do achieve amazing things. This month is about recognising those achievements and ensuring their voices are heard.
One of the key moments of the month will be Somerset Council’s Wear It Blue Day on 10 November, when council staff, partners and supporters are being encouraged to wear blue in recognition of Somerset’s care leavers.
The initiative aims to show care-experienced young people that they are valued, recognised, and supported, while also helping to increase understanding of the challenges they may face as they move into adulthood.
Coffee and cake events will also be taking place at Somerset Council, alongside donation collections throughout November providing further opportunities for colleagues to get involved, learn more about corporate parenting and help support local young people.
The month will also shine a spotlight on Stepping Stones, Somerset’s Supported Lodgings scheme, which supports young people aged 18 to 21 as they move from care towards independent adulthood.
Stepping Stones hosts provide a safe and supportive home environment for young people to develop the skills they need to thrive, helping them develop confidence, independence and essential life skills. From practical skills like cooking meals and cleaning, to building self-belief and emotional resilience, the scheme plays a vital role in helping young people take their next steps into adult life.
Throughout November, Somerset Council will be running a campaign to raise awareness of Stepping Stones and the difference a supportive adult and stable home can make to a young person’s future.
Every achievement matters.
Added Cllr Shearer.
Whether it’s securing a first job, passing a driving test, managing a home independently or overcoming personal challenges, these are successes we want to celebrate. National Care Leavers Month gives us the opportunity to recognise those achievements and say how proud we are of our care-experienced young people, as an organisation and county.
If you’d like to learn more about supporting a young person as a stepping stones host, visit https://www.fosteringinsomerset.org.uk/types-of-fostering/stepping-stones.htm. Stepping stones hosts need to be aged 23 or over with a spare room in their home and ideally located in or close to a town with access to shops and amenities.
