Insight days – supporting care leavers in their transition to adulthood

The aims of the insight days are to:

• support care leavers in their transition from care into adulthood with education, training, and employment
• provide care leavers with opportunities to engage with employers, professionals, education providers, and partner organisations
• develop care leavers' confidence and improve their awareness of the opportunities available to them
• develop practical skills to support future career choices and improve employability

The intended outcomes of the insight day are to:

• increase awareness among care leavers of the range of career, education, and employment opportunities available to them
• improve care leavers' confidence through positive interactions with employers and professionals
• enhance care leavers' skills, including communication, teamwork and problem-solving
• increase access to work experience, apprenticeships, training opportunities, and employment pathways
• strengthen relationships between care leavers, local employers, education providers, and support services
• reduce barriers to employment for care leavers through increased exposure to career opportunities and professional networks
• strengthen multi-agency partnerships between policing, local authorities, educational institutions, and private sector organisations

Staffordshire has a high number of children in care and care leavers. Staffordshire Police identified an opportunity to engage with care leavers and improve their access to education, training, employment, and career opportunities.

Planning process

The planning process involved the following core internal people functions:

• learning and development 
• recruitment
• estates
• equality, diversity and inclusion 

A meeting was held to understand what the different people functions could offer and how this would be achieved. During the meeting, discussions were held about the first event which would focus on employability and how to engage with partner agencies.

Staffordshire Police liaised with the following partner organisations through email and Microsoft Teams to identify how they could work together and provide events for care leavers:

• Staffordshire County Council
• Stoke-on-Trent City Council
• University of Staffordshire 
• Morgan Sindall construction 

The force and partner organisations have work together to:

• develop event themes
• identify suitable venues 
• coordinate resources
• create interactive activities to showcase the range of career pathways and industries

Each event is planned to:

• provide opportunities for young people to meet professionals
• gain insight into different sectors of policing 
• take part in practical activities
• learn about routes into employment, education and training

Staffordshire Police and partner organisations are responsible for delivering sessions, sharing experiences, and building positive relationships with attendees.

Implementation

The events are free to attend and do not require tickets or prior registration. Each event usually runs for three hours and is held at Staffordshire Police sites and, on occasion, at other locations such as local universities.

The insight days have continued to evolve through ongoing partnership working, with each event building on learning and feedback from previous sessions. The events are promoted by social workers and personal advisers who support care leavers.

Cost and senior management approval

Delivery of the insight days costs approximately £50 per event, which is allocated to refreshments. Existing staff expertise, facilities, and resources are used to plan and deliver the events.

Prior to implementation, senior management approval was sought and secured to ensure the initiative aligned with the force's priorities and to gain support for the investment of staff time and resources. This endorsement helped establish the programme and facilitated collaborative working with external partners.

Since 2024, the insight days have sought to provide care leavers with opportunities to explore a range of career pathways, engage with professionals from different sectors, and develop greater confidence in their future aspirations. Through interactive and career-focused events, care leavers have been encouraged to pursue opportunities that they may not otherwise have encountered.

The initiative has led to increased partnership working between policing, local authorities, education providers, and private sector organisations. These partnerships have enabled the delivery of engaging and sustainable events while maximising the expertise and resources available across organisations.

The insight days have also helped to foster positive relationships between care leavers and the police by providing opportunities for meaningful engagement in a supportive, non-enforcement setting. This has contributed to improved trust and confidence, increased understanding of the role of policing, and greater awareness of career opportunities within the force.

There has been positive feedback from both attendees and the colleagues involved in planning and delivering the events. Care leavers have responded positively to the interactive nature of the sessions, valuing the opportunity to meet professionals from a range of sectors and gain insight into different career paths.

• The initiative has demonstrated the benefits of strong partnership working by bringing together policing, local authorities, education providers, and private sector organisations. Partner organisations have engaged throughout the planning and delivery process, contributing their time, expertise, and resources to create meaningful experiences for care leavers.
• A challenge has been achieving consistent attendance at every event. As with many voluntary engagement initiatives, the number of young people attending can vary depending on individual circumstances, competing commitments, and levels of interest. This can make it difficult to predict attendance and maximise participation at each session. Despite this challenge, partners have remained committed to the programme and continue to organise and deliver events on a regular basis. Efforts are made to promote opportunities widely through local authority networks, support services, and partner organisations, ensuring that care leavers are aware of upcoming events and the benefits of attending.
• The force recognises that building engagement with young people can take time and that attendance may grow gradually as awareness of the programme increases. As a result, it has continued to invest time and resources in delivering events, maintaining relationships with stakeholders, and providing opportunities whenever possible.
• It is important to identify partners who share a common goal and are willing to contribute their time, expertise, and resources. Strong partnership working is key to creating meaningful opportunities for young people and ensuring that the events remain sustainable.