ARU Final Report

Full Report – March 2021 51 and they wanted to share that with other care leavers too in order to show that care leavers have a voice that is important and can impact change. As such, they decided that the recommendations should finish with an invitation to make a promise responding to this research. Please take the time to consider your role insupportingcareleaversduring thepandemicandbeyond, andmake a promise based on the research findings and recommendations. This promise must be time bound and actionable to make sure that care leavers’ recommendations are put into action. To share your promise with care leavers please go to: https:// angliaruskin.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/ make-your-promi se- to-care- leavers This linkwill remain open until Friday 11th June 2021. 5.6 Conclusion Our research findings show that the Covid-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on some care leavers and perpetuated many of the challenges some were already facing. These include practical challenges, mental health and wellbeing, connection and loneliness, and receiving support from services. Some care leavers received practical and emotional support from friends and family, personal advisors/social workers, and support workers from involvement and participation teams; however others did not receive the same level of support. In order to extend this level of support to all care leavers, corporate parents with responsibility for care leavers, need to provide information, offer equal opportunities for support that responds to care leavers’ needs, facilitate connection for care leavers, and pro-actively reach out to let care leavers know someone is there for them. Not only will this require adequate funding, but also continued participation of young people and commitment by central and local government to listen and take action to better support care leavers during the pandemic and beyond.