No Safety Net: Help Us Bring Comfort to Care Leavers This Christmas

For many of us, Christmas brings warmth, comfort, and the sense of belonging that comes from being surrounded by people who care. But for young people leaving the care system, Christmas can be one of the hardest times of the year.

Across the UK, over 50,000 care leavers step into adulthood without the safety net most young people rely on.

For them, turning 16 can feel like falling off a cliff — the support they once depended on suddenly disappears. Housing is often unstable, access to employment or training can be patchy, and many care leavers are placed far from home or moved frequently, leaving them disconnected from family, friends, and familiar support networks.

And what makes the situation even worse, is that data gaps mean those aged 22–25 often “fall off the radar” unless they actively seek help, and council support can be delayed if they register as homeless.

At Northorpe Hall Child + Family Trust, we see the resilience, courage, and strength of young people facing trauma, instability, poverty, and isolation — and we know just how much a single act of kindness can mean.

That’s why, in the 10th year of our Christmas appeal, we’re focusing on supporting care leavers in Kirklees by delivering hampers of essential items, and some special treats for the festive season.

To show how vital this support is, we asked a friend of the charity who grew up in the care system to share their story. From a young age, they faced immense challenges: moving between foster homes, being separated from siblings, and experiencing neglect.

“I didn’t have anything growing up and I was put into foster care when I was about eight. There was no dad in our life, my mum was unwell and there were no family members to take us. I had brothers and sisters, but we were all separated and I was quite neglected, physically and mentally.”

Things at school were no better: As one of the few mixed-race children, they faced constant bullying, and the trauma they had already endured made it hard to cope — they admit they “used to cheat a lot” and often rebelled.

“When social services realised I needed to be moved, I went back to my Mum, and when my siblings left care, they came home too. But we didn’t talk about what happened. Everyone reacts differently and those experiences shaped who we all are today.”

Looking back, they reflected that mental health support was scarce, counselling was minimal and unhelpful, and they were largely left to cope on their own, “But I’m probably one of the lucky ones that’s been able to come out strong and tell my story.”

We asked them what they felt children growing up in care need, they didn’t hesitate to point out the importance of providing support as early as possible:

 “Care leavers often need education and mental health support earlier in schools. If they don’t have support, they won’t recover. It just escalates. It’s so important for them to know: We can’t change the past, but we can change the future.”

How You Can Help

We’re inviting our friends and supporters to support care leavers in Kirklees this Christmas by donating items for our Holiday Hampers. These hampers are about love, care, and the message: “You matter. You’re not forgotten. You deserve something good.”

We’re asking for:

• Comforting treats

• Toiletries

• Cosy socks, gloves, hats

• Chocolates and sweets

• Hot chocolate and marshmallows

• Biscuits

• Self-care items

• Small gifts that show thought and kindness

Donations can be brought directly to Northorpe Hall, Mirfield, WF14 0QL, between Monday 1st and Friday 5th December. It’s a perfect chance to support local young people at a time when they most need it.

For questions and enquiries, please email support@northorpe.com