The Supporting Care Leavers Conference 2025
Past and Present Supporters Include:
Overview
The Independent Review of Children’s Social Care recommended that the Government makes care experience a protected characteristic under the Equality Act (2010), in order to improve outcomes for those with care experience. It is crucial that professionals working in care come together to ensure care leavers have the best possible opportunities and outcomes.
Get in Touch
Agenda
Registration
Chairs Opening Remarks
Chris Hoyle, Senior Business Intelligence Analyst, University of Leeds (CONFIRMED)
Keynote: How can Local Authorities Support Care Leavers?
- Providing consistent, easy-to-access support for care leavers
- Collaborating across government to improve outcomes
- Communicating clearly so young people understand available benefits
- Evaluating programs continuously to identify gaps and refine support
Matt Raleigh, Programme Lead, London Innovation and Improvement Alliance and Sharon Long, Strategic Director, Partnership for Young London (CONFIRMED)
Keynote: Best Practice for Supporting Transitions Out of Care
- Supporting organisations and employers to design recruitment and workplace practices that are inclusive and accessible to care leavers
- Encouraging employers to develop opportunities tailored to care leavers’ needs
- Working with local authorities and partners to connect care leavers with inclusive employment pathways and to coordinate offers of support
- Promoting awareness and good practice among organisations so that care leavers’ diverse backgrounds are understood and respected in the workplace
Bethany Caunter, Strategic Partnerships Manager, Care Leaver Covenant (CONFIRMED)
Questions and Answers
Comfort Break
Beyond Survival: Self-Care and Boundaries for Care-Experienced Young People and the Professionals Who Support Them
- The connection between overachievement and burnout
- Why care-experienced young people often struggle with boundaries and ways to support them
- Self-care beyond the clichés: meaningful practices that sustain wellbeing
- Reducing the emotional labour of navigating systems
- Creating a culture of care: small shifts professionals can make to model healthy practices
Sekia Blye, Director, It’s a Family Thing (CONFIRMED)
Case Study: Creating a Community of Support for Over-25 Care Leavers
- Creating opportunities for peer connection through both online and in-person networks, helping reduce isolation and improve wellbeing
- Facilitating group workshops that help individuals process and understand their care history
- Providing accessible, ongoing advice and emotional support through digital and telephone services
- Ensuring care-experienced adults can find, access and contribute to communities that value their lived experience
Terri-Anne Hamer, Project Worker, Care Leavers Association (CONFIRMED)
Questions and Answers
Lunch Break
Keynote: Outlining Accommodation Provisions for Care Leavers
- Mapping current interventions into reducing homelessness amongst care leavers
- Highlighting how local authorities can identify care leavers with a high-risk of homelessness
- Discussing the gap in housing provision for care leavers including sufficient appropriate emergency accommodation and services for young people with complex needs
- Analysing the factors behind homelessness in care leavers including age, lack of preparation and experience in managing alone
Philippa Nancoo, Head of Young People Services & Ofsted Matrix Lead, Look Ahead (CONFIRMED)
Case Study: UCAS Insights and Opportunities for Care Experienced Students
- Sharing insights about Care Experienced learners through UCAS data and student insight work
- Ensuring early intervention by targeted outreach and application guidance in application stage of university
- Highlighting the support available to care experienced students and their supporters, including virtual schools, local authorities and outreach teams
Ellie Rowley, Fair Access Programme Lead, UCAS (CONFIRMED)
Questions and Answers
Breakout Networking:
Use this opportunity to connect and share insights on providing ongoing support, opportunities and resources for care leavers to support their personal and professional growth.
Comfort Break
Strengthening Personal Adviser Support for Young People Leaving Care
- Crucial role Personal Advisers (PAs) play
- National gap in training and qualification for PAs
- Become’s accredited Personal Adviser Learning Programme
- Reach & impact of PA Programme to date
- Ambitions for PA programme & opportunities to partner with Leaving Care Services
- Hear from a care experienced Young Trainer involved in delivering the programme
Chloe Grant, Head of Services, Become Charity (CONFIRMED)
Case Study: Supporting Care Leavers Careers Through Partnerships with Local Business
- Highlighting the benefits of partnerships between local authorities and businesses in care leaver support
- Insights from the Apprenticeship Strategy: key tips on fast-tracking care leavers into apprenticeship programmes
- Prioritising care leavers by guaranteeing an interview for a vacancy where they meet the required specification
- Promoting care leaver buy-in through a two-to-four-week placement programme with pay to all care experienced young people
Cllr. Lucy Smith, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, Bury Council (CONFIRMED)
Questions and Answers
Chair’s Closing Remarks
Chris Hoyle, Lived Experience, University of Leeds (CONFIRMED)
Conference Close
Previous Speakers
Dr Jim Gooddard
Chair
Care Leavers Association
Karen Sharp
Director Health and Care Partnership
East Kent, Health and Care Partnership
Gareth Evans
Director of Operations
Care Leaver Covenant
Cathy Jeremy
Nurse for Care Leavers
Devon NHS FT
Chloe Grant
Director of Services
Become
Maria Mcevoy
Grandmasters Programme Manager
Volunteering Matters
Melanie Harris
Aspire 2 University Programme Lead
Wolves University
Testimonials
It was really good and speakers were amazing
Interesting, Informative . lots of food for thought. Brilliant Day.
I would definitely recommend this event for anyone either working with or interested in supporting Looked after children and Care leavers. It was informative and some of the speakers were Awe inspiring
The conference had engaging speakers who shared their experiences of being care experienced and how their aspirations for people with Care experience , to achieve their full potential.
Why You Should Attend?
Why Attend:
- Gain insights into the latest national policy updates for care leavers:
- Learn practical strategies for supporting young people from care to independence
- Hear from high-level keynotes and best practice case studies
- Gain 8 hours of CPD points towards your yearly quota
Who Should Attend?
| Job Title Example | Organisation Example |
| Personal Advisor | Local Councils |
| Safeguarding Officer | Housing Associations |
| Outreach Workers | Schools |
| Nurses | Universities |
| Teachers | Care-leaving Charites |
| Housing Officers | NHS |
Pricing Options
PRIVATE SECTOR
Your delegate place at this leading conference gives you: Full access to the conference; E-guide; Networking opportunities during the day; Access to presentations post conference; 8 CPD Points.
Public Sector
Your delegate place at this leading conference gives you: Full access to the conference; E-guide; Networking opportunities during the day; Access to presentations post conference; 8 CPD Points.
VOLUNTARY SECTOR
Your delegate place at this leading conference gives you: Full access to the conference; E-guide; Networking opportunities during the day; Access to presentations post conference; 8 CPD Points.
Sponsorship
Raise your Profile, Showcase Your Solutions, Generate New Business
If your products, services, and solutions can support our audiences in their roles, and you want to make connections and generate new business with key stakeholders, decision makers, and influencers, then please contact us HERE
IMPORTANT: There are only a small number of sponsorship opportunities available to ensure maximum exposure and ROI – contact us today to secure your place.
Virtual vs F2F
Whilst F2F provide better options for networking, there are many distinct advantages of sponsoring our online conferences including:
- Wider geographical reach of delegates and a different audience who prefer online to f2f
- Lower sponsorship package costs
- No travel/accommodation
- Less time out of the office
- No stand materials required (lower costs)
- 1 of only 2 sponsors involved – less competition on the day
- Prime speaking slot in the morning of the conference including Q&A – less distractions and easier for delegates to hear/absorb information
- Receive all delegate data after the conference to follow-up directly with those who attend and don’t attend (small % but still key stakeholders)
- Ongoing exposure via OnDemand access (coming soon)
To find out more and discuss your specific objectives, please contact us below:
