Goal: To provide care leavers with practical skills and emotionalsupport, ready for entry to the workplace
Funding: From the local learning and skills council. Extra staff arefunded by Darlington Borough Council
Contact: Stephanie Hunter, project co-ordinator for the CAHMSLooked-After System Project (Clasp), 01325 743 166
Launched three years ago, Clasp aims to help 16- to 19-year-old careleavers find employment by giving them the skills needed for the worldof work. The project puts the teenagers on the entry to employment (e2e)programme.
The programme, which is tailored to each young person, is used to teacha range of useful skills such as budgeting, literacy, stress managementand health and safety.
"The course takes from six weeks to six months," says Stephanie Hunter,the project co-ordinator. "We are able to offer a one to two ratio ofteachers to children. Because the teacher ratio is high and there arenever more than six people on a course at any one time, we have a goodrecord of success."
Hunter says many of the care leavers' performance indicators haveimproved.
"But we now need to follow that up with concise, accurate figures," shesays. "Young people leaving this course still remain in contact untilthe age of 20, in line with the Children (Leaving Care) Act. They arecontinuously supported in their first employment. Those with housingissues or substance misuse will be monitored by qualified careprofessionals who can target their problem."
The e2e courses take place in numerous locations. "We have found thattaking young adults away from their normal environment can be verypositive for developing trust between them and the multi-agencyprofessionals they need," Hunter explains.
Hunter adds that the project was needed to help care leavers withoutskills. "We developed the project for those lacking in confidence andeducational attainments who had emotional or learning difficulties."
What next: Darlington Council is hopeful the project will be mentionedin the Government's green paper on looked-after children as a goodpractice example.
