Staf has today published a report setting out the impact of COVID-19 on care leavers, based on feedback from young people themselves and Staf member organisations who support them.

 The issues raised include:

• Loneliness, social isolation and mental health
• Digital exclusion
• Food poverty
• Financial precarity, access to social security, bills and debt
• Childcare provision for care experienced parents

 In response to the report, Staf CEO Jo Derrick has called on a national effort to ensure that beyond the current crisis we address the wider societal issues that have been highlighted to ensure we build back better.

Staf continues to provide support to the young people involved in our projects, including by continuing our participation work online. We will also continue to work with our members to highlight ongoing issues, raise them on their behalf and seek solutions for the young people they support.

 

Commenting, Staf CEO Jo Derrick said:

 “This report sets out many positive examples of how Staf and our members are working hard to support care leavers through this crisis. I want to say thank you to all of those who are working under challenging circumstances to do so.

 “Yet many of our members, and the young people in our projects, have raised concerns around both the immediate and longer-term impact of the current situation.

 “In particular, loneliness, isolation, digital exclusion, food poverty and financial precarity have all been raised – these are, unfortunately, not new concerns but they have been highlighted and exacerbated by the current situation.

 “It is clear that as we come out of this crisis we will need a new national effort to tackle the wider social and economic inequalities that impact the wellbeing and success of care leavers.

 “For care leavers, we cannot simply return to ‘normal’ – we must build back better.”

You can read the full report here.