Expert Insight – Dr Anna Morrison CBE, On Supporting Care-Experienced Individuals to Access Apprenticeships

November is National Care Leavers’ Month – a whole month dedicated to celebrating care-experienced individuals, shining a light on their achievements and calling for positive change. This year’s theme is ‘Rising As Me: Overcoming Challenges, Transforming, and Finding Your Identity’, celebrating the resilience of care-experienced individuals and honouring the personal growth and transformation that their journeys inspire.

In this article, Anna Morrison CBE, founder of Amazing Apprenticeships, shares her thoughts and ideas about the different ways that we can support care experienced young people to explore apprenticeships as one of their options.

Why apprenticeships?

Apprenticeships can be a fantastic option for any young person to consider, including those who are currently in care and care leavers. They provide the opportunity to earn a salary whilst continuing to gain qualifications and gain valuable workplace experience and skills.

However, we must recognise the unique circumstances that care experienced young people may find themselves in and adapt our support for the additional barriers and challenges they may face when trying to access apprenticeships.

We’ve shared five things to consider when you are supporting care experienced young people with accessing apprenticeships.

Searching and applying for apprenticeships

In addition to mainstream apprenticeship vacancy platforms, such as the government’s Find an Apprenticeship website, there are particular platforms, such as the Care Leaver Covenant ‘Connects’ platform, supporting care leavers to stay up to date with relevant work, education and recreational opportunities, as well as information about the support that care leavers may be able to access. Leading charity Become also offers an employability programme, ‘Propel Into Work’, supporting young people to build their confidence, prepare their CV and get ready for interviews.

Accessing financial support

Your local authority will provide a ‘local offer’ for young people in care and care leavers, setting out the different types of financial (and non-financial) assistance and other support that young people may be eligible to access. This could include careers guidance, support with applications/interview preparation, IT equipment such as a laptop, money to buy clothing for interviews and travel subsidies towards the costs of travelling to interviews. You will need to contact your local council’s leaving care team and ask them for their local offer, or your student can speak to their Social Worker or Personal Adviser (PA) to understand how the Virtual School or Leaving Care team may be able to support them further.

The £3,000 Apprenticeship Care Leavers’ Bursary

Young people starting an apprenticeship may be eligible to access the £3,000 Apprenticeship Care Leavers’ Bursary. There are certain eligibility requirements that are set out on the gov.uk page and in our Care Leavers’ guide, as well as useful information about how the bursary is claimed and other support available.

The bursary is a tax-free payment that is made directly to the apprentice (by the apprenticeship training provider). It is paid in three equal instalments, usually around three months, six months and within 12 months of starting the apprenticeship.

Stay connected and build your understanding

The Moving On Up Network is a thriving network of more than 700 members throughout England, focussed on understanding the challenges and barriers that persist for care experienced young people in accessing apprenticeships, and taking steps to address them. Through the network’s quarterly meetings and monthly newsletters you will hear from leading employers, sector experts and government representatives. It’s a great way to increase your knowledge and understanding – and did I mention it’s completely free of charge? Sign up today!

Access free resources

We offer a growing range of resources to raise awareness about support for care experienced young people, suitable for use during National Care Leavers’ Month and throughout the year. Visit our campaign page to see the latest resources and the different campaigns that you can be involved with throughout the year.