The Bishop of Derby spoke in support of the Bishop of Manchester’s private member’s bill on 17th January 2025, stressing the need to listen to care leavers and to take their concerns seriously:
The Lord Bishop of Derby: My Lords, I congratulate my right reverend friend the Bishop of Manchester on bringing this Private Member’s Bill. I declare my interest as chair of the Children’s Society—a charity rooted in the Church of England and a key partner in the Church’s work to support care-experienced children and young people. I therefore welcome this Bill for the difference that it would make to care leavers.
As mentioned, last week we were privileged to hear directly from care leavers. I pay tribute to their resilience and I know that they are listening closely today. Their testimony reinforces my support for the Bill.
Three recurring themes emerge from our conversation: vulnerability, inconsistency and disempowerment. First, too many young people are made profoundly vulnerable as they leave care without a sufficient safety net around them. A recent survey by the National Leaving Care Benchmarking Forum found that 82% of care leavers struggled to afford food some or all the time.
Continue reading “Universal Credit (Standard Allowance Entitlement of Care Leavers) Bill: Bishop of Derby stresses need to listen to care leavers concerns”
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