Sister charity supports Ireland’s care leavers
The Care Leavers’ Foundation has been able to assist young care leavers in Northern Ireland since it began its UK grant-giving programme in 1999. Now activities have been extended to the Republic of Ireland. Estabished in 2008, Care Leavers Ireland makes grants to Irish care leavers with a particular emphasis on education.
Children brought up in public care start their adult lives with a whole panoply of disadvantages and many have no family at all to turn to. As parents we support our own children well into their twenties. There is always a bed to return to if things have gone wrong, a few quid to help get a new flat in shape, or a regular top up to help with study costs. Care leavers often have no-one they can turn to and sometimes a modest grant can make all the difference.
Care Leavers Ireland makes small grants to care leavers up to the age of 29 who need help to meet their personal goals. With the average age for children leaving home for good at somewhere between 24 and 29 across Europe it is small wonder that children struggle to make this one-way transition to adult life at 16,17 or 18. Leaving care with no family to provide support, and no safety net to fall back on is tough. We know that many young care leavers in Ireland don’t manage particularly well and care leavers are over represented in many sub groups of social disadvantage such as prison populations, mental health users and long term unemployed.
Care Leavers Ireland is a Charity Registered in Ireland number: CHY18965
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