A NEWLY opened Sheffield leaving care service which is helping young people prepare for independent living is already gathering rave reviews.
With four self-contained flats, the service offers a chance for young people moving on from care to learn and practice their independence skills while being close to support and other young people.
Craig Rook, Regional Manager for Keys Leaving Care, said: “As an organisation we have leaving care services which have more than one young person living in them, or those which are solo placements. Staff from Keys support them
“This service in Sheffield offers a bridge between those. Some young people either don’t want to live with other young people or are ready to move into their own home individually, but still benefit from being close to staff support when they need it as well as other young people.
“This is a perfect balance. The young people have their privacy and independence and being so close to others their age can help combat any potential loneliness – often they will have lived in children’s homes previously with several other children and the move to live on their own can be quite jarring for them.
“The flats are really lovely and very high quality. They are all within their own courtyard area in a very nice area of town. They are all fully furnished with high-quality fixtures and fittings and with everything the young people need to get them started on their journey to independence.”
The new service has three flats for young people and one ‘staff’ flat, which has staff available for support between 12 pm and 8 am each day. It is already supporting children from the local area. The high quality of the apartments themselves, as well as the care, are already being praised by commissioners and young people.
One commissioner contacted the service to say: “I am overwhelmed with how well the placement has been completed from start to finish and how it has been set up so carefully and quickly.
“The care and nurturing way she has been supported is just brilliant.
“The young person cannot believe how amazing her property is and she has said she has had her best night’s sleep ever there. She can’t stop smiling because home is amazing and she knows good things are going to come because of this.”
Keys Leaving Care services support young people who are moving on from residential children’s homes towards independent living. Placements, which are across England and Wales, support young people from the age of 16 up to 23.
