Hayleigh went into care when she was 10 years old and since then has navigated a number of challenges.

“Growing up, the situation at home wasn’t working so my grandma stepped in and gave up her job as a nurse of 18 years to look after us,” explains Hayleigh.

Hayleigh remembers that it was hard to trust adults trying to provide help as there was a lack of consistency in the system: “When I was younger, there were a lot of social workers involved at different times.  I struggled to connect with them as I thought they were all just doing it because it was their job -not because they wanted to help me.  For me, that was a big struggle.”

There is currently inadequate support for young care leavers looking to secure affordable and stable housing, and Hayleigh struggled with this huge turning point in her life.

But over the past decade, The Young Lives Foundation in Kent – a valued partner of Centrepoint’s - have consistently supported Hayleigh with independence and helped her to find her voice as she worked towards securing her own home.

Through the charity’s programmes, the support she received helped her to identify that she lacked confidence in her own abilities and often judged herself harshly.  As she started to find her voice, she began to see that her natural empathy and warmth towards others were two of her greatest skills, and wanted to put these to good use advocating for other young people from similar backgrounds.

Hayleigh is now an active member of the Children in Care Council and both officials and councillors defer to her to be the voice of care experienced young people. She is also continuing to work with The Young Lives Foundation, becoming an inspiration for the charity’s younger........

© Norwich Evening News