Companies are helping kids who grew up in care get a start on career ladder

Understanding the Challenge Faced by Care Leavers

Young people who grow up in care encounter stark disadvantages when seeking work or training. Statistics reveal they are three times less likely to be in education, employment or training by age 19 compared to their peers. Only six per cent pursue further education, versus over a third of other school leavers. This gap translates into long-term economic impacts, with care leavers earning on average £6,000 less annually than those who have not been in care.

Instability compounds these challenges. Many experience multiple placements—some moved up to 30 times—disrupting education and making consistent qualification attainment difficult. Consequently, care leavers are also a third more likely to face homelessness than to attend university. These realities underscore why generic diversity initiatives often fail to reach this group without specific, sustained intervention.

How Targeted Programmes Are Creating Pathways

Recognising these disparities, several UK companies have launched specialised initiatives. Amazon partnered with Barnardo’s to create the JOBS (Journey of Becoming Successful) programme, offering ten weeks of pre-employment training. Crucially, this goes beyond job skills to include mental and physical health support, abuse awareness, alcohol education, nutrition, and practical workplace safety training. The results are promising: 83 per cent of completers secure full-time work or return to education.

John Lewis has established the Building Happier Futures programme with Action For Children and Who Cares? Scotland, focusing on apprenticeships and ongoing support. Meanwhile, entrepreneur John Caudwell’s charity, Caudwell Youth, provides up to two years of mentoring for care leavers. These models demonstrate that effective support combines practical training with holistic personal development and long-term guidance.

What Freelancers Can Learn from These Models

For independent professionals, these programmes offer transferable principles. First, effective onboarding acknowledges that technical skills alone are insufficient. Just as the JOBS programme integrates health and wellbeing training, freelancers benefit from addressing resilience, communication, and self-care alongside technical upskilling. Building a sustainable solo career requires managing energy and mindset, not just acquiring certifications.

Second, mentorship proves transformative. Caudwell Youth’s multi-year approach shows that guidance over time—helping navigate setbacks, refine goals, and build networks—yields better outcomes than short-term workshops. Freelancers should seek mentors who offer sustained support, not just occasional advice, and consider mentoring others as a way to strengthen their own practice and give back.

Third, partnerships amplify impact. Amazon’s collaboration with Barnardo’s combines corporate resources with charity expertise in youth support. Freelancers and consultants can similarly partner with complementary specialists—such as coaches, therapists, or industry bodies—to offer clients more comprehensive solutions than they could alone.

Applying Inclusive Practices in Client Work

The principles behind supporting care leavers extend directly to how freelancers and consultants engage with clients. Just as employers must make reasonable adjustments for Muslim staff observing Ramadan under the Equality Act 2010, independent workers should proactively inquire about client needs that might affect collaboration. This could include neurodiversity accommodations, cultural observances, or accessibility requirements.

Open dialogue builds trust and prevents assumptions. Instead of waiting for issues to arise, freelancers can normalise conversations about working preferences early in engagements—asking about communication styles, feedback methods, or scheduling needs. This mirrors the advice from Kawsar Zaman of No5 Barristers: speak with colleagues to understand individual needs and ensure respect without sacrificing productivity.

Seeking expert guidance when needed is also vital. Freelancers need not become specialists in every inclusion area; consulting resources from bodies like the Equality and Human Rights Commission or specialist charities ensures informed, respectful practice. This approach protects both the worker’s reputation and the client’s experience.

Skill-Building Strategies for Uncertain Times

The programmes for care leavers emphasise preparation that goes beyond immediate job tasks—a lesson for freelancers navigating fluctuating demand. Rather than chasing every trend, focus on durable competencies: clear communication, reliable delivery, financial literacy, and self-promotion. These foundations weather market shifts better than fleeting technical fads.

Practical, site-specific training—like the hazard and safety modules in the JOBS programme—translates to freelancers investing in context-relevant skills. If you work with healthcare clients, understand basic compliance; if serving e-commerce, grasp platform-specific nuances. Targeted preparation builds confidence and reduces the learning curve with new clients.

Equally important is framing work as part of a larger purpose. Autumn McElroy, an operations associate at Amazon after completing the JOBS programme, noted how having a job 'focuses my mind on something better.' Freelancers can cultivate this mindset by connecting their services to client outcomes—whether helping a small business reach more customers or supporting a nonprofit’s mission—making work feel meaningful beyond the invoice.

Pricing, Negotiation, and Valuing Your Work

Care leavers often face long-term earnings penalties, highlighting why freelancers must actively manage their financial trajectory. Avoid underpricing due to lack of confidence or fear of losing work. Instead, research regional and industry benchmarks, factor in all costs (including taxes, insurance, and professional development), and communicate value clearly.

Negotiation improves with preparation. Just as assessment day providers collate challenging questions to prepare job candidates, freelancers can rehearse conversations about rates, scope changes, or timelines. Know your walk-away point, prepare justification for your fees, and practice stating them confidently. Remember that a corporate role might attract 250 applicants for fewer than six interview spots—your specialised offering as a freelancer should command appropriate compensation.

Consider value-based pricing where appropriate. If your work directly increases a client’s revenue or saves significant time, structuring fees around that impact can be more equitable than hourly rates. This aligns with the mindset shift care leavers describe: moving from survival to seeing work as a path forward.

What this means

The initiatives supporting care leavers into work reveal a powerful truth: when barriers are met with tailored, sustained support, talent that might otherwise be overlooked can thrive. For freelancers and consultants, these programmes offer more than inspiration—they provide a blueprint for building careers that are not only financially viable but also resilient, inclusive, and purpose-driven. By integrating holistic skill-building, valuing mentorship, practicing proactive inclusivity, and grounding pricing in clear value, independent professionals can navigate today’s gig economy with greater confidence. Just as the young people in these programmes found focus and direction through opportunity, freelancers too can craft careers that feel like a path forward—not just a series of tasks.