The Leaving Care Team at Leicestershire Cares was recently invited to attend a Care Experience Forum at HMP Leicester to explore how we could provide meaningful support to prisoners who have been through the care system. This visit was a valuable opportunity for us to engage with these individuals, gain insight into their experiences, and discuss ways we could assist them both during their time in prison and as they prepare for release.
One of the young males we met is approaching the end of his sentences and is beginning to think about reintegrating into society. For them, the transition back into the community can be particularly challenging, especially without a strong support network in place. During our discussions, they shared their personal experiences of growing up in care and how this has shaped their lives, both positively and negatively. Their stories highlighted the unique struggles that care-experienced individuals can face, such as a lack of stable housing, difficulty finding employment, and feeling isolated or unsupported upon release.
The forum also allowed us to offer practical advice and guidance on how they can develop important life skills while in prison. We explored basic but essential topics such as cooking simple, nutritious meals, maintaining good hygiene, and acquiring transferable skills that could help them find employment or adapt more easily to life outside prison. These conversations were extremely insightful and helped us all to better understand the specific needs of care-experienced prisoners.
By engaging directly with these individuals, we aim to tailor our support services to ensure they have the best possible chance of rebuilding their lives upon release. Our visit reaffirmed the importance of providing ongoing support to care-experienced people within the criminal justice system and working collaboratively with HMP Leicester to improve outcomes for this often-overlooked group.
We are grateful to HMP Leicester for inviting us to take part in this important discussion, and we look forward to continuing our work in supporting care-experienced prisoners as they navigate both their time in custody and their journey beyond the prison gates.
For more information on Care Experience Young People please contact Krishna.
Krishna@leicestershirecares.co.uk - Leaving Care Project Development Officer - Powering Up Project
https://www.leicestershirecares.co.uk/get-help/individuals/care-experience/