Young people, who have been looked after by Renfrewshire Council, can look forward to a brighter future after the local Community Planning Partnership signed the Care Leavers’ Covenant.
The Covenant focuses on five key areas: health and wellbeing, housing and accommodation, education and training, employment, youth and criminal justice and rights and participation.
The partnership includes: Engage Renfrewshire, NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde, Police Scotland, Renfrewshire Council, the Scottish Fire & Rescue Service and voluntary sector organisations.
This is the time a Community Planning Partnership has thrown its weight behind the Covenant.
Councillor Mark McMillan, Leader of Renfrewshire Council, said, “Young people who have been in the care system often don’t do as well as young people who haven’t. It’s estimated that only 1% of care leavers go to university compared to 37% of all young people.
“When young people who have been looked after don’t achieving their full potential at school and college it can have a knock-on effect throughout their lives. It affects their job prospects, their choice of housing and even their health.
“Most young people can rely on their families to provide a safety net which lasts long after they leave school. Young people don’t stop needing care and support when they reach 18. The Covenant is all about corporate parents, like the council, offering the help that young people need to make that difficult transition to successful, independent adults.”
Renfrewshire Council looks after over 700 children and young people.
The Care Leavers’ Covenant was drawn up by: Barnardo’s Scotland, the Centre for Excellence for Looked After Children in Scotland (CELCIS), the Centre for Youth and Criminal Justice, the Institute for Research in Social Services, the Life Changes Trust, Quarriers, the Scottish Throughcare and Aftercare Forum and Who Cares? Scotland.