Marking National Care Leavers Week 2020
26 – 30 October 2020 is National Care Leavers Week and to mark it, we’re sharing a blog post from Coco Pemberton, one of Settle’s trustees.
National Care Leavers Week marks the successes and challenges faced by young people who’ve experienced care. Initially part of our 2019/20 Impact Report, Coco shared her thoughts on moving into your first home as a care leaver and her experience of joining our trustee board.
My name is Coco, I’m a trustee of Settle and I’m a care leaver.
There is a gap between the support that is provided by local authorities and what care leavers need. Settle provides practical help by helping people navigate the system once they leave care, which councils don’t always have the time and resources to do.
I found out about Settle on Google. I was searching for organisations that might have been able to help me, and thought ‘oh, might be good to get involved in that’. Then, I met Rich who told me about the trustee position.
When I left care, I didn’t know when I was going to get my bidding number [for a flat] or my leaving care grant. Leaving care is difficult because you just don’t receive help navigating the systems – whether it’s housing, benefits, or employment unless you have really complex needs. You’re left to figure it out for yourself. This means that care leavers face isolation and loneliness.
Recently, I met another care leaver who moved into his first flat. He didn’t have any furniture – only a microwave – and struggled to get a hold of the right services for weeks. He found himself unable to even wash his clothes for a job interview.
Local authorities care for young people, which is why it’s important to work closely with them. I work for the council now myself and I thought it would be best to go to the source, so I’ve introduced Settle to a few local authorities in London who they now work with.
“My ideas aren’t that ambitious. It’s about getting the basics right – nothing radical. Things need to move quicker and be more intertwined for care leavers and other young people moving into their first homes.”
Joining the board has been eye-opening. It’s inspiring that what I say impacts future generations, and can help support other young people who are experiencing what I did as a care leaver.
It’s been overwhelming at times too – because of my age, I didn’t think I’d be in rooms making decisions. It’s given me a chance to step up and make a difference at a higher level.