Speaking today at the first ever National Learning
Conference, showcasing projects from the Government’s
£200 million Children’s Social Care Innovation
Programme, Children and Families Minister announced up to £5
million for three new Social Impact Bond projects to
support for care leavers into education, employment or
training.
He also announced the delivery partner for the Care
Leaver Covenant, which offers a platform for
organisations to pledge their support for young people
as they face the challenges of leaving care.
Children and Families Minister said:
Leaving care can be difficult and we want to improve
the support available to these young people so they
are not navigating life’s milestones alone. The
programmes we are announcing today will help care
leavers make the transition to adulthood more
smoothly, improving the opportunities available to
them whether in education, employment or training.
Through the Care Leaver Covenant, we are boosting the
practical support available to care leavers, such as
apprenticeships or work experience, linking them up
with private and voluntary organisations as well as
government departments.
The first National Learning Conference provides a
valuable opportunity for us all to come together –
government, voluntary and community groups as well as
health and police partners – to learn from the work
being delivered to many of our most vulnerable
children and families through the Innovation
Programme.
Today’s conference discussed the outcomes and lessons
learned from 95 Children’s Social Care Innovation
Programme projects and attracted over 300 delegates
from 130 councils, as well as community, voluntary and
private organisations.
The funding available through the new Social Impact
Bond projects will be targeted in Bristol, Sheffield
and Lewisham to support care leavers to stay in
education or transition in to employment or training.
Nationally, care leavers will also benefit from the
Care Leaver Covenant, and delivery partner Spectra
First will encourage private and voluntary
organisations to sign up and offer ways to help care
leavers with the challenges they face in making the
transition to independence.
Matthew Gordon Chief Executive at Spectra First said:
Spectra First are delighted to be the selected
delivery partner for the Care Leavers Covenant.
This is a tremendous opportunity to work with local
authorities, businesses and organisations across
England, to ensure our diverse care-leavers have
access to a range of meaningful offers that will
improve their life chances.
