ARU Final Report

Full Report – March 2021 17 • A Prezi presentation that shares the findings from the formal report that support workers can share with local government, alongside data specific to their LA. • A promise from central and local government about what action will be taken based on the findings that is both actionable and time-bound, to be shared with care leavers. As an action to come from the research, the formal report and Prezi presentation finish by asking decision-makers and practitioners in central and local government to make a promise to care leavers setting out what action they will take in response to the findings. 3.6 Questionnaire and focus group participants The questionnaire was shared across the six LAs by the care leavers and support workers who were part of the research team, using existing networks and communications. The questionnaire received a total of 94 respondents: 10 from Cornwall (10.6%), 22 from Essex (23.4%), 11 from Hertfordshire (11.7%), 7 from Medway (7.4%), 27 from South Tyneside (28.7%), and 17 from Stockport (18.1%) (see Graph 1). Graph 1: Which local authority are you from? Number and percent of care leavers Cornwall Essex Hertfordshire Medway South Tyneside Stockport 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 10 (10.6%) 22 (23.4%) 11 (11.7%) 7 (7.4%) 27 (28.7%) 17 (18.2%) Respondentswere aged from 17 to 26years old, with a mean age of 21. 66 were female (72.3%), 22 male (23.4%), and four identified as other or did not disclose this information (4.3%). A third of respondents, 33%, had children living with them during the pandemic. Just over half of the respondents (52.1%,), were living independently, while otherswere living in supported living (13.8%), with foster carers (13.8%), with friends or partners (13.8%), with parents (4.3%), in semi- independent living (4.3%), or in other arrangements (5.3%), for example with their grandparent. 59.6% had a personal advisor/social worker before the pandemic while 50% had one at the time of completing the questionnaire, and 24.5% reported needing support from Leaving Care Services during the pandemic. Across the focus groups with the research team, 18 care leavers participated: three from Cornwall, four from Essex, two from Hertfordshire, four from Medway, one from South Tyneside, and four from Stockport. As young people from Cornwall were unable to attend this session, their focus group was held separately. There were twelve female and six male participants aged 18-24. Though we did not