Job boost support for children in care in Swansea

SWANSEA Council is supporting calls by Barnado’s for more to be done for care leavers to gain entry into apprenticeship schemes.

Recent announcements that three million apprenticeships will be created in the UK by 2020 has prompted children’s charity Barnado’s to call for some of these to be reserved for children in care to enable an easier transition into adulthood.

Work is already underway in Swansea with a group already set up in the Council that’s looking at ways of encouraging care leavers in the city into successful apprenticeship schemes.

Cllr Christine Richards, Cabinet Member for Children & Young People said: “In Swansea we want all young people to have the same opportunities to help them in adult life. This includes getting them on the ladder for employment.

“Lots of good work is already being done in Swansea to help care leavers achieve their goals – we’ve had long-established partnerships with a variety of organisations to tackle these issues.

“A group has already been set up in Swansea and we are in the early stages of looking at ways of encouraging looked-after children onto our own apprenticeship programmes.”

Support has also been provided for young people in the care system in Swansea to provide dedicated mentoring support to children in years 10 and 11 to help boost exam results.

Cllr Jane Harris, Cabinet Member for Services for Adults & Vulnerable People, said: “As part of our corporate parenting responsibilities we have a duty to do what we can to improve the futures of looked-after children. I welcome all efforts to encourage care leavers into apprenticeship programmes.”