Karmactive Staff
Hundreds of young people who grew up in care are finding new opportunities in the NHS through a dedicated support scheme launched in January 2023. The NHS Universal Family Programme offers work experience, training, and practical help to those aged 16-25 who have been in local authority care.
Since its start, the program has engaged with over 2,700 care-experienced young people and helped almost 200 find jobs both inside and outside the health service.
“Care leavers have a unique set of life experiences that can bring a different perspective to the NHS. They have a huge amount to offer a career in healthcare,” said Duncan Burton, Chief Nursing Officer for England.
The initiative creates pathways into various NHS roles, including apprenticeships in therapy, dentistry, healthcare support, and administrative positions. It aims to address the disruption many care leavers face in their education, which can limit their job prospects.
From Care to Career: One Success Story
Lily, 21, is among those who have benefited from the program. She secured an apprenticeship as a trainee therapy assistant at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust.
“I feel so lucky to have been presented with this opportunity,” Lily said. “It has really made me feel seen and heard as a care leaver, which is a privilege.”
Entering foster care as a toddler, Lily was inspired to pursue healthcare by her adoptive mother’s health struggles and her grandmother’s career as an NHS nurse.
Her manager, Charis Davey, specifically sought to hire a care leaver for the position. “We wanted to tap into the experience of care leavers who perhaps don’t have the opportunities that the rest of us have but have the lived experiences that mean they can relate to patients from many different backgrounds,” Davey explained.
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Comprehensive Support Structure
The program provides more than just job placements. Participants receive:
- Work experience and shadowing opportunities
- Skills training relevant to NHS roles
- Help with CV writing
- Interview practice
- One-to-one pastoral support
In Lily’s case, she works with a dedicated pastoral worker from the Coventry and Warwickshire Health and Care Employability Academy who specializes in supporting care leavers.
Meeting a Significant Need
Government figures show more than 48,000 care leavers in England in 2022/23. The program represents part of a broader effort to improve outcomes for this group.
The NHS Universal Family Programme operates through partnerships between NHS bodies, voluntary organizations, local councils, and the Department for Work and Pensions. It forms part of the NHS’s commitment to the Care Leaver Covenant, a national pledge to create opportunities for young people leaving care.
While progress has been made, NHS leadership has expressed a desire to expand the program further, taking advantage of the health service’s 350 different career paths to help more care leavers find sustainable employment.
For young people like Lily, the impact goes beyond just securing a job. “I have found working in the NHS so enjoyable and fulfilling,” she said. “I feel as though I am not only bettering my professional skills, but my life skills too.”
