The passage from adolescence to adulthood can be a difficult transition phase, in particular for young people who leave out-of-home care like foster or institutionalised care, often referred to as care leavers. They often express feeling unprepared for the challenges of independent living and can have a lack of a strong support network, leading to financial difficulties and sometimes loss of tenancy. Care leavers are therefore at heightened risk of homelessness. In 2021/22 the number of care leavers between the ages of 17-21 in England totalled 45 940. To help care leavers in their transitions, the UK Government introduced the Staying Close initiative in 2017-18, initially piloted by five Local Authorities and three private providers in England. An additional 15 Local Authorities were funded in 2022-23 to expand this programme.
Staying Close – United Kingdom
Abstract
Initiatives within the Staying Close programme offer tailored support for young individuals aged 17‑21 leaving care from children’s homes. They include move‑on accommodation and personalised practical and emotional support, often from trusted figures like their former children’s home staff. The programme prioritises accommodation stability but also aims to build confidence and essential skills for independent living while improving physical and mental well-being. They also target crime reduction and improved participation in education, employment and training. Local Authorities wanting to participate in Staying Close in the financial years 2023‑25, could apply for funding within an indicative range of GBP 22 000 to GBP 32 000 per care leaver to deliver the programme.
A series of evaluations conducted in 2020 investigated the effectiveness of all eight Staying Close pilots funded under the Innovation Programme. These evaluations, mostly qualitative due to the small scale of the Staying Close pilots, aimed to assess their impact. For instance, In North-East Lincolnshire, approximately 35 young people were eligible for Staying Close, with 23 accessing Staying Close support. Further evaluation is planned for the new locations in 2023‑25, with randomised controlled trials set to provide more evidence.
Across the 8 Staying Close pilots, certain consistent outcomes have emerged. The pilots were largely successful in achieving the outlined goals. Participants and staff viewed the interventions positively, mentioning that Staying Close provided a type of support for the young people that previously did not exist in their areas. Certain pilots also reported significant cost reductions for their local authorities due to implementing Staying Close initiatives. The initiatives primarily focused on achieving accommodation stability, while counselling services and peer support networks facilitated improvements in mental health. Targeted interventions and mentorship programmes successfully reduced antisocial behaviour and criminal activity. Additionally, the initiatives enhanced outcomes in education, employment, and training among participants and fostered strong relationships and support networks through staff contact and mentoring, promoting social connectivity. Moreover, independent living skills development, including cooking, budgeting, and time management, equipped care leavers with essential life skills.
This practice also supports the implementation of provisions IV.3, IV.5, and VI.2 of the OECD Recommendation on Creating Better Opportunities for Young People (OECD, 2022[1]).
Further reading
[1] OECD (2022), Recommendation of the Council on Creating Better Opportunities for Young People, https://legalinstruments.oecd.org/en/instruments/OECD-LEGAL-0474.
[3] UK Government (2023), Staying Close 2023-25 Application guide for local authorities, https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/63d2956f8fa8f53fdff6a4c9/Staying_Close_2023_to_2025_-_application_guide_for_local_authorities.pdf.
[2] UK Government (2022), Children’s social care innovation programme: insights and evaluation, https://www.gov.uk/guidance/childrens-social-care-innovation-programme-insights-and-evaluation#care-leavers-and-staying-close (accessed on 8 February 2024).
[4] UK Parliament (2023), Support for care leavers, https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-8429/#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20Department%20for,across%20a%20number%20of%20areas (accessed on 8 February 2024).
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