Artificial Intelligence (AI) is shaping the world around us—from voice assistants and self-driving cars to medical breakthroughs and creative tools. If you, or a young person you know is curious about technology and wants a career that’s exciting, future-proof, and impactful, AI could be the perfect path forward. why AI? AI is one of the fastest-growing industries globally. Companies need people who can design, build, and manage intelligent systems. The best part? There’s a w

Supported accommodation plays a critical role in helping young people build stability, confidence, and independence. With Ofsted now overseeing this sector, providers are expected to work to a clear set of principles that define what good care looks like and how young people should be supported. These principles set the tone for safe environments, consistent support, and strong relationships. ofsted key principle one; young people should feel safe The first principle is simp

Respect and celebrating difference were key themes last week as students from asphaleia marked Anti-bullying Week in November 2025. Respect for each other’s differences was shown in visual form when students at the learning centre designed and displayed pictures showing odd socks. Students with a variety of different nationalities, languages, cultures and beliefs were encouraged to respect difference. Some worked as a group to identify and write basic ideas on how we can resp

Are you passionate about supporting young people to gain skills and achieve their potential? Are you looking for a new challenge, working with a fantastic team? If so, we could have the perfect job opportunity for you in our West Sussex training, care and fostering teams. We currently have job vacancies for: Tutor - Functional Skills - 16-19 year olds - Employability - SEND - WORTHING We are seeking passionate and dedicated tutors to join our Tutor team and teach on a va

This November, across the UK we mark National Care Leavers Month (NCLM), a dedicated time to recognise, celebrate and support young people who are care experienced. what is national care leavers month? Originally the UK marked a one-week event called National Care Leavers’ Week, but in 2025 the week formally became a full month. NCLM is organised by and with care-experienced young people, supported by the Alliance for Children in Care and Care Leavers. It exists for the publi

Part of being a foster carer is dealing with endings and transitions that occur in foster care, and helping children and young people to manage the changes that go on in their lives.   Placements can end for different reasons, some of them planned and some unplanned. Our priority will always be supporting the child with whatever ending and transition will be taking place.   planned endings and transitions in foster care At asphaleia, when we place children in foster families,

Bullying remains a serious issue affecting millions of young people worldwide. Anti-bullying Week 2025 offers a vital opportunity to raise awareness, promote kindness, and create safer environments for everyone. what is anti-bullying week? From Monday 10 to Friday 14 November 2025, Anti-Bullying Week is taking place across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, coordinated by the Anti‑Bullying Alliance (ABA). It’s a whole-week campaign designed to shine a spotlight on bullying:

Every November, Green Careers Week (3rd-8th November) highlights the growing range of “green” roles — jobs that help protect the environment, tackle climate change and support the UK’s journey to Net Zero. As an FE provider, it's a great opportunity to engage students aged 16–18 with vocational pathways into sustainable industries. This year’s theme is “Go Green!”, a chance to explore how every subject area and vocational course can contribute to a greener economy. why green

As part of our 25 years of asphaleia celebrations, we are doing a series of posts related to 25 years and wanted to take the opportunity to celebrate a volunteering role we have had for the past eight years. what is an Independent Visitor? Becoming an Independent Visitor (IV) is a truly special volunteering opportunity. Independent Visitors are matched with a child or young person in care to offer friendship, support, and fun — someone just for them , outside the care system.

One of our On Track Study classes recently participated in activities related to Black History Month in their lesson. On Track Study is an education programme for young people wishing to improve their English skills and understanding of life and learning in the UK.​ The programme runs from September to July every year, with opportunities to start throughout the year.  The students were given worksheets to look up the various named people on the Black History Month poster and

In recent years, the importance of listening to the voices of children and young people has gained significant recognition. The UK Children’s Commissioner has launched an initiative known as "The Big Conversation" aimed at engaging with children and young people across the country. This initiative seeks to understand their views, experiences, and aspirations, ensuring that their voices are heard in discussions that affect their lives. The Big Conversation is not just a one-o

Our Independent Visiting service had a busy summer and autumn of visits and activities! asphaleia delivers the Independent Visiting Service for East Sussex County Council and it's a service that provides a volunteer befriender to children and young people in care. The Independent Visitors are matched to their YP and they arrange monthly visits to take the young person out into the community to do something fun and spend time together. The service enables the child to have an

The State of the Nation 2025 report from the Centre for Young Lives has now been published. It provides a detailed and sobering overview of the challenges facing children and young people in England today, with millions growing up in poverty, homelessness, poor health, or struggling with mental health difficulties.   Key findings include:   4.5 million children living in relative poverty – nearly a third of all children 165,000 children in temporary accommodation, a 33% inc

Last week, asphaleia held its annual Learning and Development Week (L&D) for staff across the organisation. It is an opportunity for staff to examine a particular theme related to our work as an organisation and gain new knowledge, skills, and insight to apply to current practices. This year’s theme was -   Policy with Purpose: Driving Culture, Compliance & Capability   learning & development week; allowing policies to shape practices Policies aren’t just rules, they’re refle

A Parent and Child placement is a specific type of placement in foster care. This blog post will explain more about these specialist placements. If you have any further questions after reading, please feel free to get in touch.   what do parent & child placements involve? Each parent and child (P&C) placement is an individual placement. It requires both an assessment and training role of the carer/s. A P&C placement would have been agreed with the parent/s. It might involve

Neurodiversity is the notion that differences in the makeup of the brain are a natural part of the human condition. Many people may be of the understanding that ADHD or autism should or could be ‘fixed’. However, this cannot be the case since these variations of the brain are a natural part of diversity and it's important to embrace neurodiversity. Some people’s brains may process bits of information very differently to others and therefore they may socialise and communicate

National Hate Crime Awareness Week is an important initiative aimed at raising awareness about hate crimes, promoting understanding and solidarity among diverse communities, and remembering those we have los t. It also aims to encourage the authorities, key partners and communities affected by hate crime to work together to tackle local hate crime across the UK. This week serves as a platform to educate the public about the impact of hate crimes, which are motivated by preju

Functional Skills are accredited qualifications that young people aged 16-18 can do if they haven't managed to achieve a 4 or above in...

At asphaleia this month, we'll be exploring the importance of Black history and celebrating the achievements of Black individuals who...

Th 19th of September is Youth Mental Health Day. T his year's theme, Share Support , encourages young people and those around them to...