Launched in 2024, the Surrey Care Leavers Seekers Fund was created to support organisations working with care leavers and to provide financial support directly to young care leavers.

1 in 4 children in the UK will need social care before turning 18. In Surrey there are currently just under 1,000 children in care and around 800 care leavers (young people aged 16-25 who have care experience). The outcomes for care leavers are significantly worse than those without experience of the care system:

• Care leavers are three times more likely to be NEET (not in Education, Employment or Training); a third face homelessness within two years; and around a quarter of the prison population has care experience.
• Education gap: Only 9% enter higher education by 19, compared with 47% of peers.

Thanks to securing new funding from the Henry Smith Foundation, we are able to match every donation 100% up to a total of £25,000.