it's national care leavers month NCLM
- Jeni
- 5 hours ago
- 3 min read
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 public, professionals, carers, decision-makers and the media to come together, celebrate care leavers and raise awareness of the issues in the care system.
why it matters
the care-leaver landscape
Young people leaving care often transition into adulthood under conditions that differ significantly from their peers:
According to the UK government data, in 2023/24 there were 50,670 care leavers aged 17-21 in England.
They face particular barriers: in housing, education, employment, health and building stable support networks.
For example, the Office of the Children’s Commissioner (OCC) flags that many care leavers fear a “cliff-edge” of support as they enter adulthood and all their support services fall away.
the positive side: resilience, identity, transformation
The theme “Rising as Me” emphasises that care-experienced young people are not merely surviving—they are growing, shaping their identity and bringing value.
The month spotlights stories of transformation, the strength it takes to overcome adversity, and the determination to thrive.
It invites community, organisations and wider society to reflect: how can we better support these young people, not just during one week but all year round?
what you can do – for individuals, organisations & communities
If you’re a care-experienced young person:
Look up what your local authority or care-leaver service is doing this November. If you can, attend events or join peer groups.
Share your story if you’re comfortable—your voice matters and helps change others’ perceptions. Care-experienced young people can sign up with the Become charity to share their experiences and campaign for care leavers rights.
Make use of support services: for housing, financial advice, wellbeing, employment/training. Most county councils should have a care leaver 'Local Offer'.
If you’re an ally – family, friends, community member:
Recognise the month. Use your networks and platforms to amplify care-leaver voices.
Encourage local organisations to adopt inclusive recruitment/promotional practices—care-experienced young people often face extra barriers entering employment or training.
Volunteer your time, skills, or mentoring capacity. Small acts of support and recognition can make a big difference. You can volunteer to become an Independent Visitor with asphaleia, a befriending role that can continue when a young person leaves care, providing something consistent during a time of transition and a friend to talk to.
If you’re an organisation – business, charity, local authority, school, college:
Review your policies: Does your recruitment, training, tuition-assistance, mentoring support account for care-experienced young people?
Embed care-experience as a lens in your work: For example, what provision is there for someone who doesn’t have family support, who might rely entirely on you or your institution?
Use this month to reflect not just on what you do in November, but how your support is sustained year-round.
activities at asphaleia
During this year's Care Leaver's Month, we want to celebrate how far our young people have come. Rather than look back at the challenges they've faced, we want to look ahead to what they want their life to look like in the future and how we can support them on their journey.
In our supported accommodation services, young people are enjoying a celebration event in their house where they will eat together and have some fun.
Staff are also doing keywork where they are explaining the local authority Local Offer for care leavers, the support they can access, and where to find the relevant information. We want to empower them to ultilise all that is available to help them thrive.
final reflections
This November, as we mark National Care Leavers Month, let’s listen. Let’s learn from experiences. Let’s act. Because behind each statistic is a young person with hopes, talents, and the right to belonging.
By recognising care-experienced young people’s journeys, celebrating their identities, and committing to change, we help build a society where “leaving care” is not a cliff-edge but a launch-pad.
