UK
Teenagers in care in Warwickshire learn to live independently
Teenagers in care in Warwickshire and getting ready to move to hostels or in their own flats or houses have been taught skills to help them live independently. Skills learned by the teenagers, aged 16 to 19, ranged from wiring a plug to drawing up a household budget.
The 50 teenagers went on a three-day independent living skills course run by childrens charity Barnardos and Warwickshire County Council, with a cash contribution from banking giant Barclays.
The group, all from Warwickshire, were taught first aid, budgeting, grocery shopping, cooking, repairing clothes and basic DIY that many had missed out on living with foster families and in childrens homes. At the end of the course they were given useful things to take away including first aid kits and tool boxes.
Daniel Cherrie, 18, doing A-levels at college, said: I liked the food tasting best! We tasted cheap own brands and more expensive brands. The chocolate was the only one where there was any difference.
Matt Langsford, 17, who works part time in a delivery firm, said: When you live with your own family you probably pick up this stuff or you can ring up your parents and ask them to help but its different for us.
The course was accredited by the Open College Network. A celebration event was held at the Ivor Preece Centre in Rugby Road, Binley Woods, to present the certificates.
Childrens services manager for Barnardos Jill Wale said: This is an exciting project, we are the first leaving care service nationally to have an accredited independent skills course for young people.
21 August 2009
