This session will give a detailed overview of the newly launched NHS Universal Family programme, which is a commitment to support young people who are care experienced into roles in the NHS and Local Government. Launched in October 2022 by Dr Navina Evans, the programme has the aim of supporting 1000 care leavers by 2025. The programme is being piloted in ten Integrated Care Boards across the country, in partnership with Spectra who run the Care Leaver Covenant programme, with many signatories including Amazon, John Lewis, Universities, Banks, Sky and many others, all with the aim of providing a family of love and support to young people who have grown up in foster care or children’s homes, without access to the opportunities that others have. As Joint Programme Director, Raffaela will talk through the rationale for setting up this national initiative and share the work to date, and also will be seeking opportunities for information sharing across the NHS and Local Government to make this programme a success.

1. 1 |
The NHS Universal Family Programme
(Care Leaver Covenant)
Raffaela Goodby
Chief People Officer
Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Trust
Joint National Programme Director

2. 2 |
What is the Care Leavers Covenant and why does it matter?
Funded by Department of Education, the Care Leavers Covenant aims to
provide additional support for those leaving care.
Young people leaving care face significant challenges getting well paid
rewarding work :
►Only 7% of care leavers begin a higher education degree
►25% of the prison population are care experienced
►77% were recorded as claiming out of work benefits compared to 21% all
individuals respectively (Ahmed, Bush, et al., 2022)
► An average earnings gap of £4,000 per year eight years after completing
GCSEs between individuals in the labour market and those who were
previously looked after (Department for Education, 2021)
►41% of 19-21 year old care leavers are not in education, employment or
training, compared to 12% of all other young people in the same age
group (Department for Education, 2021b)

3. https://youtu.be/oGhDBMXnA2A

4. 4 |
• Builds on the concept of the corporate parent role our Council’s hold – a Universal Family for our NHS
• Will support 10% of care leavers (approximately 1000 young people per year) by 2026 into opportunities in
the NHS, with an ambitious target of 1000 Care Leaver’s by 2030
• Establish an NHS Care Leaver’s Peer Network, package of support for recruitingg managers
• Programme delivered in partnership with Spectra
• 10 ICBs have been selected to be “Pathfinders” to develop a holistic package of support for care
experienced young people in to the NHS in to jobs, employment experiences and tailored support
• We want to work with Council HR colleagues to make this partnership a success – we all want the same
thing, to support the care experienced young people to have healthy fulfilling lives
The NHS Universal Family Programme
(Care Leavers Covenant)
Year No. of Care Leavers No. of ICBs
2023/24 250 10 Pathfinders
2024/25 500 42
2025/26 1000 42

5. 5 |
• Fits with our ambitions to create anchor organisations, acting as a force for social mobility
• Meets the four core purposes of the ICSs including helping the NHS support broader social and economic development
• Gives the NHS access to skilled young people, who are experts at navigating the care and systems we all work in – use
their super powers! If I can see it, I can be it
• Raise awareness of challenges faced by the care experienced community, engage with businesses and work with partners
in our ICB’s to increase representation from underprivileged backgrounds into employment with significant training and
career progression opportunities
How does this fit with the NHS agenda?

6. NHS Universal Family
Roadmap for the launch of resources for us all
October 2022
NHS Sign Care Leaver
Covenant
December 2022
Expressions of Interest received
from ICBs to be Pathfinders in
programme
January 2023
Pathfinders
commence
October 2023
National Care Leavers Week -
Launch of resources. 32 ICBs
Commence Programme
June 2023
First draft produced
Consultation on resources
begins
September 2023
Consultation ends. Final version
signed off by Steerco
April 2023
Spectra develop draft
outline for resources
May 2023
Engage with stakeholders
and approval for
development of resources
June - September 2023
Revisions and addition of
case studies and learning
from Pathfinders

7. 7 |
Local Gov and NHS in partnership - Pathfinders
leading the way
Integrated Care Board (ICB) Region
Norfolk and Waveney East of England
North Central London London
North West London London
Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Midlands
Birmingham and Solihull Midlands
West Yorkshire North East Yorkshire
North East and North Cumbria North East Yorkshire
Greater Manchester North West
Surrey Heartlands South East
Dorset South West
Matt Prosser - President of SOLACE represents Local
Gov on our SteerCo
A small dedicated team of people working to support care
experienced young people.
WE NEED YOU! Local Government HR, Education and
Training experts are critical to building a successful
Universal Family.
Do you have widening participation programmes that
could include a career for a care experienced young
person?
Is your Council working towards Care Leaver as a
protected characteristic?
Can you get involved? r.goodby@nhs.net