The key pillars of the Uganda Care Leavers Charter are:

1.       Health and Wellbeing

2.       Housing and Accommodation

3.       Education and Training

4.       Employment

5.       Youth and Criminal Justice

6.       Rights and Participation

7.       Reform

While each of the pillars and related actions are important on their own, it’s the cumulative impact of change across these inter-related areas that will contribute to and drive forward the change that needs to happen.  Working together, these pillars pillars working together will create a systemic reform of Uganda’s approach to alternative care, especially the use of long-term and abusive care placements

Health and WellBeing

Many of a child’s experiences in care can be considered as adverse or traumatic and are very likely to have a detrimental effect on care leavers’ physical, mental and emotional health and wellbeing well into adulthood and in some cases throughout their lives.

Action Point: Duty-bearers will collaborate to ensure that care leavers are able to access medical services, counselling, mentoring and other community-based services aimed at promoting improved wellbeing.

Action Point: Duty-bearers will work together to remove barriers and increase supported access to cultural, artistic and other recreational opportunities.

Desired Outcomes:

·         Reduction in care leavers’ experiences of isolation.

·         Improved engagement with health services.

·         Improved opportunities for young people to access and participate in activities to promote their wellbeing.

·         Proactive engagement with services, reducing the likelihood and need for crisis responses.

Housing and Accomodation

Young people leaving care are more likely to become homeless and experience housing instability due to their vulnerability and limited economic and social resources. Safe, settled and sustainable accommodation is a crucial foundation for achieving positive outcomes for care leavers.

Action Point: Duty-bearers currently providing care should thoughtfully and gradually prepare care leavers for independent living.

Action Point: Care leavers views should be taken into consideration when planning the transition out of care.

Action Point: Duty-bearers should devise and implement a follow-up process to monitor the transition to independent living and be ready to provide support if required.

Desired Outcomes:

·         Continuing support services provides something equivalent to a ‘family safety net’ for care leavers.

·         The care leaver remains at the centre of planning and support arrangements.

·         Duty-bearers to continue to work together with and on behalf of the young person for as long as is needed after the transition has been made - reinforcing that accessing accommodation on a one-off basis for a care leaver does not constitute a discharge of duty.

Education and training

The educational experiences and achievement of care leavers are generally poor in comparison to those children who grew up in a stable family, though this is not always the case. Trauma, attachment issues, mental ill health, stigma, frequent placement moves are contributory factors leading to disrupted schooling and negative experiences of education.

Action Point: Duty-bearers currently providing care should make provision for continued education if appropriate as part of the transition plan and should mitigate any barriers to higher education.

Action Point: Local businesses and trades-people in a community should be encouraged to provide apprenticeships or technical training for care leavers, if it is within their ability to do so.

Desired Outcomes:

·         Education and skills assessments are to be part of the transition to independent living.

·         Recognition of the links between social inclusion and economic development and creating real opportunities to create a more joined-up solution for care leavers, educators and employers.

Employment

Access to the employment market can be more challenging for care leavers and they should be regarded as a high priority group who need additional support to gain and sustain employment.

Action Point: Raise awareness of the unique employability needs of care leavers, recognising that traditional training and education platforms as an isolated response are not enough. Instead a holistic approach is required which encompasses health and wellbeing, housing and financial support as a route to meaningful work.

Action Point: Reduce any real or perceived barriers to accessing apprenticeships and employment to ensure opportunities are aligned to care leavers’ needs.

Desired Outcomes:

·         Care leavers being able to see a clear pathway to meaningful employment.

·         Employers demonstrating a more proactive role in recruiting care leavers.

·         Increase in number of care leavers securing employment.

Youth and criminal Justice

Research consistently highlights that care leavers are more likely to be involved with the criminal justice system. Factors associated with offending behaviour, in many cases, have clear links to the adverse or traumatic experiences in care and the resulting disconnect with society and social norms.

Action Point: Raising awareness in the youth and criminal justice agencies of the impact that care can have on a person.

Action Point: Identification of care leavers at the outset of their involvement with each youth and criminal justice agency to enable more appropriate and sensitive responses.

Action Point: A Whole System Approach including: timely and joined up interventions; maximising the use of diversion from statutory measures; court support; and transition/reintegration support.

Desired Outcomes:

·         Improved identification and monitoring of the numbers of care leavers in youth and criminal justice systems with the aim of reducing this number.

·         Holistic recognition of the experiences of care leavers to support culture change.

RIGhts and participation

Article 12 of the UNCRC specifically details that young people have the ‘right to express their views freely in all matters affecting them’ in accordance with their age and maturity. Care leavers are particularly vulnerable to having their rights overlooked. The process of moving on from placement and leaving school, often within a short time-frame, tends to mean care leavers lose access to support networks and can quickly become isolated and disempowered.

Action Point: All duty-bearers to ensure care leavers are informed about rights and participation and the support provided by Uganda Care Leavers and others.

Action Point: Care leavers are given specific opportunities to influence and shape services and policies at local and national level.

Desired Outcomes:

·         Local and national policy and practice is more reflective of care leavers’ needs and priorities, leading to more meaningful and sustained engagement and dialogue.

·         Care leavers are more likely to come back to request support, leading to continuity of support and relationships, preventing more serious crisis and breakdown.