NHS: Belonging in White Corridors
In the sterile corridors of Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust, a young man named James Stokes carries himself with the measured poise of someone who has found his place. His oxford shoes move with deliberate precision as he greets colleagues—some by name, others with the universal currency of a "hello there."
James displays his credentials not merely as an employee badge but as a testament of acceptance. It hangs against a neatly presented outfit that offers no clue of the tumultuous journey that brought him here.
What sets apart James from many of his colleagues is not obvious to the casual observer. His demeanor discloses nothing of the fact that he was among the first recruits of the NHS Universal Family Programme—an undertaking crafted intentionally for young people who have spent time in care.
"I found genuine support within the NHS structure," James reflects, his voice steady but tinged with emotion. His remark encapsulates the core of a programme that strives to reinvent how the enormous healthcare system approaches care leavers—those vulnerable young people aged 16-25 who have emerged from the care system.
The figures paint a stark picture. Care leavers often face poorer mental health outcomes, economic uncertainty, shelter insecurities, and lower academic success compared to their age-mates. Underlying these impersonal figures are human stories of young people who have navigated a system that, despite good efforts, regularly misses the mark in delivering the stable base that molds most young lives.
The NHS Universal Family Programme, initiated in January 2023 following NHS England's promise to the Care Leaver Covenant, signifies a significant change in institutional thinking.
In the sterile corridors of Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust, a young man named James Stokes carries himself with the measured poise of someone who has found his place. His oxford shoes move with deliberate precision as he greets colleagues—some by name, others with the universal currency of a "hello there."
James displays his credentials not merely as an employee badge but as a testament of acceptance. It hangs against a neatly presented outfit that offers no clue of the tumultuous journey that brought him here.
What sets apart James from many of his colleagues is not obvious to the casual observer. His demeanor discloses nothing of the fact that he was among the first recruits of the NHS Universal Family Programme—an undertaking crafted intentionally for young people who have spent time in care.
"I found genuine support within the NHS structure," James reflects, his voice steady but tinged with emotion. His remark encapsulates the core of a programme that strives to reinvent how the enormous healthcare system approaches care leavers—those vulnerable young people aged 16-25 who have emerged from the care system.
The figures paint a stark picture. Care leavers often face poorer mental health outcomes, economic uncertainty, shelter insecurities, and lower academic success compared to their age-mates. Underlying these impersonal figures are human stories of young people who have navigated a system that, despite good efforts, regularly misses the mark in delivering the stable base that molds most young lives.
The NHS Universal Family Programme, initiated in January 2023 following NHS England's promise to the Care Leaver Covenant, signifies a significant change in institutional thinking.