Support for care leavers

The Compact was established in early 2022 to deliver a consistent and high-quality offer for care leavers across the capital.

The Compact convenes working groups ('houses') to establish a pan-London offer across 7 key themes:

1. Health

2. Education, Training and Employment

3. Housing

4. Financial support

5. Mentoring

6. Transport

7. Data

The Compact is sponsored by Lambeth Council and the London Innovation and Improvement Alliance (LLIA). Leadership partners include the London Children in Care Council, Partnership for Young London, and the Mayor.

The Mayor first signed the Department for Education’s national Care Leaver Covenant in October 2018. In July 2021, the Mayor refreshed his commitments with six offers of support:

1. GLA apprenticeship scheme

2. Careers and employment support

3. Peer Outreach Team work with care leavers

4. Mental health support for London’s care leavers

5. Young people with Insecure Immigration Status

6. Promoting consistency in the London offer to care leavers

In March 2021, the Mayor established the London Local Authority Network for Care Leavers to bring together representatives from every London local authority to share best practice.

The Network convenes youth-led webinars, which to date have focused on topics such as employment, housing and the creation of a pan-London offer for care leavers. The latter is being taken forward by the London Care Leavers' Compact with the Network forming the reference group for delivery.

• In July 2020, the Mayor supported the annual Be Inspired event, an event organised by founder and senior BBC reporter & presenter Ashley John-Baptiste. It brings together care experienced young people to share experiences, inspire, empower and equip young people who want to take hold of their future and connect with each other.
• In October 2020, the Deputy Mayor Joanne McCartney supported the National Care Leaver Covenant with the Empathy Summit. This raised awareness of the challenges young people leaving the care system face and asked business and education leaders to consider how these challenges can place care leavers at a disadvantage in college, university, employment or the jobs market.