Help available for care leavers feeling isolated

FEELING isolated, alone and having no one to listen to you when you just need to talk to someone is something many care leavers experience, especially at the moment where they may be all on their own as the pandemic continues with limited opportunities to socialise or be in contact with other people.

This National Care Leavers Week (26 October to 1 November), the charity Family Action would like to highlight that help is out there.

Every evening we run our ListeningWorks service with trained volunteers who offer a listening ear and friendly voice for care leavers, aged 18-27, who may have no one to talk to, together with befriending and mentoring opportunities.

Our service provides a chance for care leavers to talk openly about whatever’s on their mind and gives them time and space to think things through without pressure.

We also give signposting to useful resources if any specific problems come up and information about other support out there and how to get it.

ListeningWorks is available all evening, every evening between 6pm and 12 midnight, via phone, text or web chat. If the line is busy, that’s only because all our volunteers are already talking to someone, but a caller can leave us a message and we’ll get back to them in a flash.

Care leavers can also call any other time and leave a message on

our voicemail, asking for a call back from us when we’re open again.

Family Action’s befriending and mentoring service for care leavers offers short-term or longer-term personal support and advice in all areas of life and work. Our trained

volunteers can help with emotional and physical health, getting someone work-ready or even offer friendly suggestions about time management.

Jane Elston Family Action