Housing Minister and Health Minister have announced a
collaborative new programme to support young people leaving care
and help prevent homelessness.
The New Foundations programme sets out a holistic approach to
providing practical support and personal guidance for young
people as they leave the care system. It includes a housing-led
pilot, which will provide ‘Housing First' accommodation to young
people leaving the care system, to prevent their homelessness.
Speaking at the launch of New Foundations, Minister Lyons
reinforced his commitment to homelessness prevention. He said:
“For care leavers, having a safe, secure and affordable
place to live is vital. Every year around 140 young people who
have recently aged out of the care system present as homeless.
Their experience and the challenges they face have helped shape
this project; it is a unique opportunity to prevent homelessness
for young people transitioning out of the care system.
“This ambitious programme aims to provide these young
people not just with a place to live, but a tailored support
package which will give them the confidence to continue with
their education or forge ahead in their career. As a Programme
for Government commitment, I am pleased to see the collaboration
between government departments, as well as the health trusts and
Northern Ireland Housing Executive to make a real difference in
young people's futures.”
New Foundations aims to embed permanent systems change across
government, driving collaboration between statutory agencies, to
meet their ‘Corporate Parenting' role to young people. It will
provide housing alongside a range of flexible and scalable
support mechanisms to give care leavers opportunities across
education, training and employment as well as support to settle
into their new home and enjoy their independence.
Health Minister said: “A safe home is
only the beginning. What truly makes the difference for care
leavers is the wraparound support provided by our Health and
Social Care Trusts. This support goes far beyond accommodation.
It equips young people with the tools and confidence they need to
succeed in independence.
“It means learning essential life skills like budgeting,
cooking, managing bills and maintaining a tenancy. It means
having emotional and practical guidance to help them navigate
challenges and build resilience, while also opening doors to
education, employment and health services so they can access the
opportunities every young person deserves. The impact of this
support is profound.
“By embedding this support into the New Foundations
Action Plan, we are not simply aiming to prevent homelessness, we
are laying strong foundations for brighter, more secure
futures.”
Grainia Long, Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Housing
Executive, said: “New Foundations is a bold, cross-departmental
commitment within the Programme for Government – aimed at
changing housing, health and justice systems so that they work
collaboratively in the interests of the children and young people
we serve. Its development has been strongly informed by evidence
of what works elsewhere and by the lived experiences of young
people.
“New Foundations provides a vision of a society where every young
person leaving care has a clear, supported pathway to
independence, with safe, stable housing, tailored support, and
opportunities for education and employment. We welcome the strong
commitment from the Northern Ireland Executive, and from the
Minister for Communities and the Minister for Health, to deliver
this programme. New Foundations demonstrates that by working
across government, we can prevent homelessness and meet our
obligations to children and young people."
