New programme will help care leavers access work, training or education

Almost 300 care leavers, who were previously looked after at home will benefit from the new Care Experienced Employability Programme (CEEP). It's a one-year pilot aimed at 16-29 year olds that will focus on the needs of the individual by providing wrap-around support.

CEEP will be led by the third sector Young Person’s Consortium (YPC) of Barnardo’s Scotland, Action for Children and the Prince’s Trust.

Over a quarter of Scotland’s ‘looked after children’ are living with one or both of their biological parents (looked after at home). The educational, employment and housing outcomes of all looked after children continue to be a major concern, but statistics and research published over recent years have highlighted the serious challenges faced by children looked after at home. 

This Scottish Government funded pilot programme will help address some of these challenges by helping 270 care experienced young people move into work, training or education. It  offers  work experience, qualifications, practical skills, involvement in community projects and life coaching that are focused on the needs of the young person.

Read our 2016 issue of Reach magazine which focused on children looked after at home.

Read the Overseen but Often Overlooked research reports. We were commissioned by Barnardo's Scotland to carry out this independent research.