Lord mayor offers care leavers 'support grandparents would give'

Mr Kemp said taking the first steps into adulthood was "a very difficult time" for care leavers

A lord mayor has pledged to set up financial support for care leavers to fund "the sort of thing grandmas and grandpas help with".

Liverpool councillor Richard Kemp has said he will use his year in office to help teeangers as they reach adulthood and leave the care system.

He said his scheme, set up in partnership with Liverpool City Council, would be for those young people who have no-one else to turn to.

"There are a lot of young people who need us to wrap our arms around them and give them the love and support they would otherwise get from a family," he added.

The Liberal Democrat lord mayor, who has been a councillor for more than four decades and currently represents the Penny Lane ward, has established the Care Leavers’ Fund after securing an annual investment of £100,000 for three years to support young people as they transition to adulthood.

'Fantastic'

He said the flexible support will be based on individual aspirations and ambitions and had been inspired in part by his own memories of becoming an adult.

"You stop being a child, you are venturing out in the world, you are getting your first job, going to university," he said.

"It's a very difficult time."

He said the funding, which will be distributed by the council, was in addition to existing support and would fund items such as books for college or university, clothing for interviews and household items.

"If they get into a place in their own when they are 18 but there are no curtains or no carpets... if they want to learn how to play the guitar or drive a car, it will help," he said.

"That's the sort of thing grandmas and grandpas help with.

"There are a lot of young people who need us to wrap our arms around them and give them the love and support they would otherwise get from a family."

Mr Kemp, who has undertaken a variety of roles as a councillor, including chairing committees and leading the Liberal Democrats group on the council, became a CBE in 2011 for his services to local government, regeneration and housing.

Liz Parsons, the cabinet member for children's and young people's services, said it was "fantastic" the lord mayor had chosen to support carer leavers.

“We know young people who have experienced the care system often don't have the support we take for granted face a unique challenge of transition to adulthood without support networks that many of us take for granted," she said.

"Therefore, any additional support for them is gratefully received."