National Care Leavers Week 2024

7 Oct 2024

This Care Leavers Week we want to focus on young people who have left care through fostering and the positive impact it has had on them:

Foster families can be hugely instrumental in helping a young person living in care thrive. By offering stability, love, and encouragement, foster families give children the foundation they need to overcome past traumas and build a positive future. With the right support, children in care can develop confidence, achieve their potential, and transition into independent adulthood with the tools they need to succeed - just like Tomasz. 

Tomasz entered foster care when he was 13 years old. Now 22, he talks about what a difference his foster family made to him:

“When I went into care, all I wanted was love. That’s the one thing I didn’t have from my own parents. For me, it was about having a mother and father who are loving. I feel lucky to have had a foster family who treated me as their own. Coming from Poland, I knew little English, and it was difficult understanding a new culture. I had no confidence. They took the time to help me and were so patient with me. They really wanted me to fulfil my potential.

"At the end of the day, all a child wants is love. They want to be cared for. If you can do that, you can foster.”

We’re still in contact today and if it wasn’t for them, I don’t think I’d be where I am now. I can’t tell you for certain what my life would’ve been like without them, but my upbringing before them wasn’t good so it’s likely I’d be in a not-so-great situation. To be honest, I don’t think I would want to know because I’m really grateful for what I have now, and that’s all that matters to me.

I can’t emphasise enough how important fostering is. Children who end up in care have faced so many negative experiences, and being able to have a safe, stable, loving and caring family to go to can make such a big difference. At the end of the day, all a child wants is love. They want to be cared for. If you can do that, you can foster.” 

There are around 80,000 young people in the care system in the UK, and nearly 10% of those are in the East of England. With more children coming into care month by month, that figure is steadily rising. All of them are looking for caring people and families to provide that loving home they need to thrive. 

At Break we have foster carers across Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridge, and we are seeking new foster families to support more young people like Tomasz.  

As a small foster agency, we do things a little differently. We pay our foster families a competitive allowance so they can focus on the child. We also give you full therapeutic training and a dedicated social worker who, unlike larger agencies, will have time to really hold your hand on this incredible journey with a child.  

If you’re unable to commit to full-time fostering, there’s also the option of being a Support Foster Carer where you are matched with a foster family and care for their child around one weekend a month so every can have a little break. It’s like having someone who’s there for them and is part of their extended family, like an aunt or an uncle.  

The decision to open your home and your heart to someone starts with a conversation. Our fostering team are always on hand to answer any questions, whether you are curious about whether it could be for you, or if you’ve fostered for years and are looking to transfer to us. 

Listen to the podcast

For this year's Care Leavers Week, Break's care leavers have launched a new series of their podcast 'Take a Break: The Land of care leavers'. This new series has a focus on careers and interviewing guests about their journey. Hit the subscribe button to be the first to hear when the new episodes drop.

About National Care Leavers Week:

Monday 28 October – Sunday 3 November 2024. 

National Care Leavers Week is an annual event that shines a spotlight on young people transitioning out of the care system. Spearheaded by national charity for young people in care Become, the aim is to celebrate their resilience and achievements while raising awareness about the unique challenges they face. Through a series of events, campaigns, and activities, the week advocates for greater support, resources, and opportunities to ensure care leavers can thrive as they enter adulthood.  

Find out more.