Mental health and wellbeing support for care leavers in BLMK

Mental health and wellbeing support for care leavers in Bedfordshire, Luton, and Milton Keynes (BLMK): Understanding service provision, experiences and outcomes to promote system-changes and practice developments to reduce inequalities

•  Start Well
• Live Well

Care leavers meet the requirements for an "Inclusion Health Group," a major focus of "Core20PLUS5," and a priority for ICS evaluation and development since they endure pervasive and persistent disparities, including those related to poverty, homelessness, unemployment, and health. Compared to their counterparts who have not experienced care, looked after children and care leavers have higher rates of mental illness and report lower emotional well-being. At the national policy level, it is acknowledged that there is a need to close the knowledge gap and enhance integrated care for children in care and care leavers. Therefore, this study aims to enhance understanding of the mental health and well-being support needs of care leavers in BLMK, service availability, and barriers and enablers to access and uptake and promote system changes and practice developments.

•  To maximise learning and support system change and practice developments based on findings from WP1-5 and collaboration with the Networked Learning Community
• To engage in activities such as knowledge- exchange events and practice skills development workshops, developing resources or toolkits for practitioners