Fostering A New Approach Episode 8: Care Experienced Christmas

Leicestershire Cares’ latest care experienced podcast, Fostering a New Approach, explores the issues surrounding being care experienced around Christmas time.

This episode Casey and Diana speak about past experiences, coping mechanisms and things to do. 

Christmas can be difficult for care experienced young people. Lots of things shut down such as schools, colleges and universities resulting in those places of safety, connection to friends and community are not there anymore. 

People that work with care experienced people (not all) take time off, and lonely isolated people can feel even lonelier.

Social media is filled with photos of warm houses with Christmas trees and presents which can make people that don’t have a family to spend time with even more an outsider looking in.

For care experienced young people, this time of year can be tough. Feeling of isolation, bad memories of difficult childhood, empty university halls, regular support services moved to skeleton staff, more drunk people on the streets, loss of routine. 

So how do care experienced young people navigate this period?

Taking points

Being with people that understand can helpTry volunteering. It can be rewarding and make you feel connected to othersUse social media for you. Don’t let it use youWhat’s the best present for a care leavers?

Podcast Information

Social media:

@DianaOmokore

@_caseyarmstrong

Research for this podcast: 

Care Leavers Rock | Facebook

The Christmas Dinner http://thechristmasdinners.org.uk/

Letter to all university Vice Chancellor’s about the need to support care experienced young people at their universities over Christmas. https://twitter.com/StandAloneHE/status/1333700554095292416

Government guidelines: Christmas guidance set out for university students  https://www.gov.uk/government/news/christmasguidance-set-out-for-university-students

Get involved in the podcast

If you have a questions for Casey and Diana to discuss on their podcast, tweet them at @LeicsCares #CEYPPODCAST or email [email protected]

For more information about our Voices project contact [email protected]

Find out how we work with care experienced young people