Care Leavers Roundtable Meeting with GM Mayor Andy Burnham
The Care Leavers Roundtable meeting took place on 17/10/2018 at 10am.
The meeting was held to bring together multiple agencies in creating region wide guidelines and helping set a “minimum standard” across all the boroughs of Greater Manchester.
After discussing all the points we had, it was clear that outcomes had to be achieved and a clear goal for the future was established.There were several different points that are to be worked on in the future. They are as follows:
- Mentors for Children in care from a young age, to carry on up through their life in social care so they get support from this consistent relationship, to then have someone for support as a Care Leaver going to interviews, CV writing, job hunting and so on. This was in response to the point that we need to change the way we look at the Education, employment and skills section for Care Leavers.
- Help care leavers maintain their property by offering support services and sign posting to the relevant support services.
- Abolishment of ‘Voluntary Homelessness’ for Care Leavers under the age of 25.
- Helping people in supported accommodation get council properties by ensuring care leavers are prioritised for council properties.
- Mental Health was discussed and it was said that we need to do more for our care leavers in terms of them accessing support, whilst also keeping in mind that support for care leavers is now up until the age of 25.
- Transport was spoken about and Andy Burnham stated about his work to get free travel fore 16-18 year olds, but it was also discussed that care leavers up to the age of 25.
- Oldham are presenting a motion to full council to attempt to make prescriptions free for care leavers under the age of 25 which was applauded by all the meeting attendees.
The meeting was fantastic and everyone had great input from the different organisations.
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