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Welcome to the Local Offer for Care Leavers

Local authorities have a duty to young people leaving care to inform them of services available and provide support to successfully move onwards and upwards to independence. This is called a Local Offer for Care Leavers. This explains your entitlements as a care leaver and will also help you to get the best out of the support on offer. It has been created with input from care leavers and a variety of professionals who support care leavers in Kingston and Richmond.

On these web pages you will find information about the support that is available to young people who have been in the care of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames and the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and are now aged 16 to 25 years.  

The offer includes information about: 

  • Entitlement Status Support 16+ 
  • Your money and documents 
  • Where you live and your safety 
  • Your education, employment and training
  • Your health
  • Getting your voice heard

This pledge, which we have consulted on with the Children in Care Council, outlines Achieving for Children’s (AfC) commitment to you. We offer a service to young people aged up to age 25 (or beyond if in education) who are children looked after or children leaving care.

It is based on our Mission Statement:

“Achieving for Children, the joint children’s services for Kingston and Richmond is passionate about ensuring the best possible outcomes for children and their families and will deliver the services they need to live safe, happy, healthy and successful lives.”

Read the full Leaving Care Pledge

In partnership with the Department for Education, the National Youth Advocacy Service is proud to offer the Safety Net service for care-experienced children and young people across England. We will listen to any concerns you may have, signpost you to the appropriate service, and help you access the support you need.

The helpline team will:

  • Ensure you receive advocacy support you are entitled to from your local authority, or via your local advocacy service.
  • Provide you with issue-based advocacy directly in a way that suits you if your local authority is unable or unwilling to provide advocacy support.
  • Inform you of your rights and entitlements as a care-experienced young person.
  • Provide advice and support, appropriately signposting you to the services you need.
  • Be a positive force for reducing the barriers to advocacy, providing information to the Department for Education, the Children’s Commissioner and Ofsted in pursuit of ensuring you receive the advocacy support you are entitled to.
Contact:
  • Phone: 0808 808 1001 (calls are free from landlines and mobiles in the UK)
  • Online chat
  • WhatsApp message: 07494788875
  • Text support service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by texting NYAS to 85258
  • Email: [email protected]

You can translate this website to many different languages and use a "read aloud" using the accessibility features - use the "Accessibility Tools" button at the top of the screen.

If you have a complaint about a service delivered by Achieving for Children, please contact the Complaints Officer for the Council in whose area you live: