Leicestershire Cares’ latest care experienced podcast, Fostering a New Approach, explores the issues surrounding being care experienced around Christmas time.
This episode Casey and Diana speak about past experiences, coping mechanisms and things to do.
Christmas can be difficult for care experienced young people. Lots of things shut down such as schools, colleges and universities resulting in those places of safety, connection to friends and community are not there anymore.
People that work with care experienced people (not all) take time off, and lonely isolated people can feel even lonelier.
Social media is filled with photos of warm houses with Christmas trees and presents, which can make people that don’t have a family to spend time with, feel even more an outsider looking in.
For care experienced young people, this time of year can be tough. Feelings of isolation, bad memories of difficult childhoods, empty university halls, regular support services moved to skeleton staff, more drunk people on the streets and loss of routine.
So how do care experienced young people navigate this period?
Taking points
- Being with people that understand can help
- Try volunteering. It can be rewarding and make you feel connected to others
- Use social media for you. Don’t let it use you
- What’s the best present for a care leavers?
Research for this podcast:
Care Leavers Rock | Facebook - an online communty for care experienced people
The Christmas Dinner - an annual project founded by the poet Lemn Sissay MBE for communities to provide an amazing Christmas Day for care leavers aged between 18 and 25. .
Letter to all university Vice Chancellor’s about the need to support care experienced young people at their universities over Christmas.
Government guidelines: Christmas guidance set out for university students
This is us. - Unite Foundation scholarship. Supporting estranged young people or care leaver at universities.
Get involved in the podcast
If you have a questions for Casey and Diana to discuss on their podcast, tweet them at @LeicsCares #CEYPPODCAST or email jacob@leicestershirecares.co.uk
For more information about our Voices project contact jacob@leicestershirecares.co.uk
Find out how we work with care experienced young people
Previous Podcasts
Fostering A New Approach Episode 1: Care leavers in lockdown
Fostering A New Approach Episode 3: The Exit Strategy for Care Leavers
Fostering A New Approach Episode 4: Housing and Accommodation
Fostering A New Approach Episode 5: Unregulated accommodation for children in care and care leavers