November is Care Leavers' Month and we are shining a light on our Young Persons team, which supports many under-25s who are leaving care and looking to begin an independent life.
Here, a team member explains how their work makes a positive difference to the young people they work with.
"A safe and secure home is important to everyone, but particularly so to trauma-damaged young people. Care-experienced young people will often experience many placements throughout their time in care, leading to attachment issues and a struggle to put down roots just in case they are moved again.
"A secure home is a place to feel safe, an opportunity to make it your home, feel stable and supported. It provides the opportunity to settle and begin to heal from the past.
"While living independently is what most care experienced young people want the reality brings a different challenge. They can feel lonely, abandoned, overwhelmed, struggle to fit in, lost. Their mental health can suffer because when the enormity of closing your own front door and being completely alone hits hard.
"There may have been education barriers which will impact on securing work, the challenge of navigating the welfare system can lead to sanctions, a risk of exploitation, crime or cuckooing is real which in turn could lead to homelessness.
"This is a crucial time for support to play its part.
"Good housing support is remaining consistent, understanding trauma and adapting the approach to work in a trauma-informed way.
"Supporting a young person to take ownership of their actions and understanding that there are consequences is a constant challenge of two steps forward and one back with trauma damage.
Time, patience and reflection is a constant journey of learning and thinking outside of the box."
*Next week, read Jerry's story - from care leaver to tenant