Earmark apprenticeships for young people in care, Barnardo’s urges

Trainee schemes are crucial to helping young care-leavers into jobs, says Barnardo’s. Photograph: Barnardo’s

Finding a stable job can be particularly difficult for care leavers in Hackney, warns children’s charity Barnardo’s.

The claim comes as hundreds of thousands of school children have just found out their GCSE results – and whether they have secured a place at college or in training.

Lynn Gradwell, director of Barnardo’s in London, said: “In an inner London borough like Hackney, where child poverty and the cost of housing are both very high, it can be hard for any young person to get a foot in the door and begin a career.

“That is especially true of care leavers who do not have support networks to fall back on.”

The government must reserve 20,000 apprenticeships in England for 16-18 year olds from the care system to give them a fair chance of getting on the job ladder, Barnardo’s has said.

Just 37 per cent of children in care can expect five A*-Cs at GCSE, compared to around 80 per cent of non-looked after children, according to Department for Education figures from 2012. Barnardo’s says lower results can put the entry criteria for some apprenticeships out of reach.

The charity is asking the government to set aside less than 1 per cent of its target of 3 million new apprenticeships by 2020 for children leaving care. There are roughly 250 looked after children in Hackney, and 10,000 young people leave care in England every year.

A far higher proportion of care-leavers (34 per cent) end up not in education, employment or training than children from the general population (15.5 per cent).

Ms Gradwell, director of Barnardo’s in London, said: “Young people leaving the care system have ambition and talents. They want to work, to be financially independent and contribute to the country’s economy. Getting an apprenticeship and proving themselves in work can open up the door to a successful career instead of a dependence on benefits.”

Turly Humphreys is the chief executive of Circle Sports, a Hackney based charity that helps adolescents into work has warned that many apprenticeships pay too little for care-leavers – who often have less financial and emotional backing behind them – to support themselves.

“They need to go into a good hourly rate so they can afford accommodation and living expenses,” Ms Humphreys said. “Some apprenticeships start at £3.25 an hour, which is just too low.”

Ms Humphreys said Circle Sports had contacted Hackney Council more than once, requesting the council refer care-leavers into her charity. But apparently Hackney council has not responded and Circle Sports hasn’t yet been able to support any local children from care.

Hackney Council has not responded to the Citizen’s request for comment.