Lee Barron, the Member of Parliament for Corby and East Northamptonshire joined Barnardo’s, the UK’s leading children’s charity in the House of Commons recently to mark National Care Leavers Week and hear directly from care experienced children and young people.

Barnardo’s Conversation with Care Leavers: Supporting journeys to independence brought together the Minister for Children and Families, decision makers, charities, local government and MPs to listen to the experiences of care leavers, and to discuss the barriers they face.

The event provided a platform for care leavers to share their experiences, highlighting the challenges they encounter as they turn 18 and leave the care system. Key topics of discussion included housing instability, employment issues, financial insecurity, and mental health difficulties.

“Every child across Corby and East Northamptonshire deserves the right to a positive future.” Lee Barron MP said. “I wanted to hear directly from young people who have experience leaving the care system about the barriers they faced, and ways we can improve outcomes in the future.”

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“Together, we have the power to build a system that prioritises both practical support and strong relationships essential for their well-being and a stable future.”

Putting their experiences to the new Government, the children and young people supported by Barnardo’s set out a clarion call for change. In particular, the young people emphasized the importance of collaboration between government, charities, and local communities to break down barriers and improve outcomes for care leavers. One young person said “If you wouldn’t accept these barriers for your own children, don’t accept them for us.”

Every year around 13,000 young people leave care in England and are expected to tackle massive life events with far less support than their peers.

“At Barnardo’s we know that one of the greatest challenges care leavers faces is still instability.” said Lynn Perry, Barnardo’s chief executive

“For far too many children living in care can feel like they’re being ‘bounced around’ the system – and, when they turn 18, they face a cliff edge in support as they leave care. Correcting this fundamental inequality is a major undertaking.”

“However, if the government can get the system of care and support right for these children, then we can truly start to ‘level up’ opportunities for all, right across the country.”

Marcia is 27 and grew up in foster care. She said: “I think MPs and decision makers need to speak to as many cares experienced people as possible. Just like every human has a different experience of life, the same is true of people who are care experienced. We have a lot of shared experiences, but, actually, there are a lot of problems others in care have experienced that I was lucky enough not to, and there are experiences that I've had that others in care were lucky enough not to and so on.”

I think it’s important for the people in charge to hear as many stories as possible to truly realise just how flawed the system is.” she added.

“Every child and young person have the right to be loved and supported at every stage of their journey through care, and we have the ability to build a system that can help build the relationships needed for this goal.” Lee Barron MP continued.

“Change cannot come soon enough for children and young people, whose future is at stake. I will do all I can to improve support for care leavers which needs to part of this Labour government’s mission to improve opportunity for all.”

Barnardo's purpose is about changing childhoods and changing lives, so that children, young people, and families are safe, happy, healthy, and hopeful.

Last year they provided essential support to 373,200 children, young people, parents and carers through more than 800 services and partnerships across the UK.

For over 150 years, they’ve been there for the children and young people who need them the most – bringing love, care and hope into their lives and giving them a place where they feel they belong.

Thomas John Barnardo was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1845. As a young man he moved to London to train as a doctor.

At the time, poverty and disease were so widespread that one in five children died before their fifth birthday. After a cholera epidemic swept through London’s East End, leaving 3,000 people dead and many children orphaned, Barnardo knew that the children left behind needed help.

In 1867, he set up a ‘ragged school’ where children could get a free basic education. One of the boys at the school, Jim Jarvis, opened Barnardo’s eyes to the hardship being faced by children around the East End, where children went to sleep on roofs and in gutters. What he saw affected him so deeply, he gave up on his medical training to focus all his energy on helping children living in poverty.