I recognise that for years I have been wasting my time trying to get Whitehall & the care industry to see the care experience as a single continuous experience that starts on day 1 in care & continues into adulthood. Having lived it, it seemed obvious to me & other "careleavers">
2. I genuinely believed that if we could get enough care experienced people together to explain to the politicians, civil servants & care sector bosses what the reality of care involved, they would recognise the need for reform. I no longer believe that. >
3. The concept of care, kids being in care, the "Care system' was introduced to replace Poor Law provision to protect children until they were deemed old enough to fend for themselves. It was a practical arrangement, not based on "care" in the sense that we care for our own kids>
4. Over time, a system evolved designed to give kids in care basic skills to survive until Society deemed them ready to stand alone. This age was set by statute at 18, although many were discharged earlier>
5. The age 18 was set by statute & an entire care system built around getting kids into the community at this age. For those who were able to reach higher education, basic support could be extended to 25>
6. As anyone who grew up in care or who works with adolescents. 18 is far too young for very many kids in care to cope alone, particularly those with few external sources of support. Many failed. Many still do. >
7. In 2000, the gov't introduced legislation to offer support for careleavers but this was very carefully rationed and based on an identified status reliant on time in care, not need. Still kids struggled>
8. More recently, #stayingput was introduced to allow kids in foster care to stay in care to 21. This was massively underfunded & not available to all fostered kids as a right. Kids in children's homes were excluded due to perceived "safeguarding" risks >
9. For all these reforms, & in spite of overwhelming evidence from care experienced people themselves, gov't & Westminster continued to ignore the fact that the care experience continues beyond 25 at the latest. Accordingly, funding stops at 25. And so does support.
10. Now we have a care industry that speaks of love & care, but that shows little of that after 25. It speaks of outcomes, but never follows up to see what they are. Kids are unloaded to the community & their are relatively few informal ongoing support schemes. >
11. We the care community shout loudly about need, about the invisible people over 18, turfed out of care unprepared, under resourced, under supported, unloved? We ask for reform. Those with power are clear the care existence stops at 25, although our lives don't. >
12. I have observed the disconnect between the professionals' view of care & that of the care community. Nods & smiles across the gap in most cases, but a gap in understanding & sympathy that seems insurmountable.>
13. The signs are that any care review will only concern itself with children & young people defined by statute as in care. We must work to get reform to improve care given so it offers greater training for when the kids are discharged & ideally relationships they can continue >
14. I can't see the care offered being any more loving or extending for longer. Love does not cease when a child reaches 18. I can see good care trying to ensure that the child has forged positive relationships that will continue after care. >
15. This may be the role of the care experienced community. To create a "lifelong system of care" to offer care when the care system unloads its children on their birthdays. This might be what care experienced groups should focus on rather than trying to change the care system>
16. We won't change MPs or DfE to support care experienced people. It may require money. We won't get the care system to change & support kids over 18 - 25. No money in it. Perhaps the care experienced community must find ways to do it ourselves. After all, we are the 'experts".
17. I would invite other care experienced people of all ages to consider how we as a free standing community might create a post care system to enable care experienced folk over 25 to get individually focused support when they need it. The care system isn't going to provide it.
