
We are a ‘corporate parent’ to a number of local children and young people who can’t live with their birth family. We have legal duties to young people who have experience of being in care, like staying in touch and offering support, help and advice. We aim to work together in partnership with young people who are eligible for support via the Torbay ‘Leaving Care’ Service, and are keen to hear from you if you’d like to be involved.
We support care leavers from 16 up to the age of 21, and also up to the age of 25 if that’s what you want. We aim to support all our care leavers to live fulfilling lives, and to enjoy their adulthood and independence.
Young people are usually ‘eligible’ for this service when a young person has been in care for 13 weeks after the age of 14 and is still in care at age 16 or 17. If you don’t know if you are eligible, your Social Worker or our team can help or you can find out if you are a care-leaver online.
Check if you are a care leaver

We help care-experienced young people to be ready and prepared for independence, at a time that is right for you. You will have regular contact with your ‘Personal Advisor’, who offers:
- practical help (e.g. helping you secure a tenancy, paying for certain things in your home),
- emotional support (e.g. being there when you need us, keeping your motivation up)
- advice and information (e.g. helping you go through your housing options, choosing the right course and college)
Young people are helped to complete and update a ‘Pathway Plan’ with their Social Worker and/or Personal Advisor when they are 16. The plan sets out what the young person wants to achieve in life, how they plan to achieve it, and who will help them along the way.
We are a member of Catch-22’s National Care-Leavers Benchmarking Forum (NCLBF), which works to improve services and involves young people in this important work.
We also assess young people aged 16 or 17 who are homeless and/or there has been a family breakdown, and guide them towards support in Housing and Children’s (Social) Services.

Are you a care-experienced young person or adult? Didn’t ‘qualify’ or no longer qualify for support from your Local Authority, but have spent time in care? Please visit the Rees Foundation website, for support, advice, and guidance to all care leavers of any age. The Rees Foundation offers life-long support to anyone who has spent time in care as a child or young person.
COVID-19
Contact us if you are worried about COVID-19 (coronavirus) or just want to talk.
Use your after care plan to plan your future, in terms of where you want to live and whether you want to continue in education or go to work
Help, information, guidance and support for individuals and carers around debt and mental health.
Details of the Local Offer for Care Experienced Adults and Young People in Torbay from 2021-2022
February to July 2022 program
- After Care Guide - Support for starting higher education
- Care Leavers' Association Opens in a new window False is a user-led charity run by care leavers for care leavers. To bring together the voices of care leavers of all ages so that we improve the current care system, improve the quality of life of care leavers throughout their lives and change for the better society’s perception of people who have been in care as children. Read their Leaving Care Guide Opens in a new window False
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Catch 22 Opens in a new window
False provides holistic support for looked after children and care leavers and runs the National Leaving Benchmarking Forum (NLCBF)
- Guide to the different Higher Education choices
- Guide for young people who are in care or left care. Information about staying with your foster carer after 18 - Staying Put: What does it mean for you?
- Help at hand - In care, leaving care, living away from home, need help?
- How to write a CV
- NCAS Guide to Post 21 Education - Support you may be entitled to when you are 21 and over
Contact Torbay Care Leavers
- Email: Contact4CareLeavers@torbay.gov.uk
- Tel: 01803 208400
- Adopt a child
- Become a foster carer
- Family Information Service Directory
- Get help for a child at risk
- Services and support
- Find a job in social work
- Childcare
- Strategies, policies and reports
- Complain about children's social care
- Private fostering
- Child employment
- Peninsula Commissioning and Procurement Partnership
- Special Guardianship Support
- Our Improvement Journey
- Celebration Event May 2022