Increased support for care leavers

Hundreds of care leavers will be helped to move into work, training or education through a new £1 million programme announced today.

The Care Experienced Employability Programme (CEEP) is a one-year pilot programme to help 270 young care leavers aged 16-29 to move into appropriate work, training or educational opportunities.

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

The programme will enhance and add value to existing youth employment provision and deliver intensive support to young people who are often excluded from attaining their full potential through education and employment.  It will offer  work experience, qualifications, practical skills, involvement in community projects and life coaching that are focussed on the needs of the individual.

Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work Keith Brown, said:

“This innovative programme is a new approach to helping the young people who face the biggest barriers in our society.

“It will provide wrap-around support for young people who have been looked after at home, and who are recognised as having the most significant challenges to accessing education and skills training opportunities.

“This follows on from the First Minister’s announcement last October of an independent root and branch review of the care system in Scotland. This supports our commitment to the young people of Scotland that their needs will be central to how we reform the care system.

“Recent data shows that we have made significant progress in tackling youth unemployment and Scotland currently has the second lowest youth unemployment rate in Europe, after Germany, with levels at the lowest rate since records began.

“By supporting more young care leavers to access employment, training and education opportunities and close the attainment gap with their peers, we are sending a clear signal that we are determined to go further. We have set an ambitious target of achieving a 55% progression rate for the programme in year one to ensure this is delivered.”

Martin Crewe, Director of Barnardo’s Scotland, said:

“Barnardo’s Works partnership with the Prince’s Trust and Action for Children will give care experienced young people the opportunity to access apprenticeships and jobs with training, working with our wide range of employer partners.

“This is a golden opportunity to make a step change in how we support care experienced young people on to Apprenticeships and Jobs. This is a group of young people who are often at the back of the queue when it comes to having that opportunity. The partnership is delighted to be able to support Scottish Government in helping to make this significant change.”