CYP Now - Digital access must be seen as a right, not a privilege

A government scheme which supports care leavers with internet access and digital devices is set to come to an end next month. Here, care leaver Luke Fox explains the impact that this decision will have.

I’m a care leaver, having spent all but six months of my life in the care system – that’s multiple foster homes until I was 16 and semi-independent accommodation from then on.

When I left care, there was a lot that I didn’t know - how often to clean, how to pay a bill, how to turn off the water. All of this can be picked up pretty quickly though.

But using and accessing the internet is an entirely different story. As a society, we are now reliant on it and assume that every young person can access it, to connect with friends, to apply for jobs, and to learn about the world around us. Even the government’s new NHS track and trace App requires a smartphone and 4G access.

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