Supported care

The Supported Care Service supports young people aged 16 to 21 who are moving to independent living after being looked after in, for example, foster care or residential care. We have also supported young people who have become estranged from their family or who have come to this country as unaccompanied asylum seekers.

Supported Care offers an intermediate stage that enables a young person to develop the skills and confidence needed for living their own independent lives, by providing a home with a carer who will help them move towards the next stage of their life. They might need support with everyday jobs like ironing, cooking, and cleaning, as well as the more complex tasks of budgeting, developing social skills, managing relationships, social media and other pressures faced by young adults. These young people are likely to have experienced trauma in their lives, so in addition to practical support, they need a safe and supportive environment which fosters their emotional wellbeing.

Quotes from carers

“You build up a bond that lasts into the young people’s lives, and it is brilliant. One of the young people that stayed with me has been away from here for years, but she still brings her own wee girl to see me once every week.”

“I supported a boy who had been trafficked from Vietnam and who struggled with the language when he came. During his time he developed so much, including learning to drive and passing his test first time, and even taught me some new things as well, as he did his own cooking from Vietnamese recipes!”

“When you see them going on to have lives of their own, growing into adulthood and being successful in their own right, it is the most wonderful feeling.”

Quotes from young people

 “I was in a local kids’ unit before this, which was good for that stage of life, but this is great because it teaches you how to cope in the real world but, at the same time, it is flexible, and I can still go out with my pals.”

“I wasn’t ready for moving out on my own, so this is ideal – it is just like having a normal family life for someone of my age, and Janet is not just great at showing me how to do things, she is great company too.”