Care leavers

A care leaver is a young person aged 16-25 who has been ‘looked after’ by the local authority at some point since they were 14 years old and were in care on (or after) their 16th birthday. 

You can find details about services available for Care Leavers in Trafford, including help to get accommodation and support, on the Trafford Care Leavers Offer.

If you're living in local authority care, or you were in the past, you may be entitled to additional preference on Trafford’s housing register. To join the register, you need to apply to Trafford HomeChoice.

The Greater Manchester Care Leavers Guarantee

The Greater Manchester Care Leavers Guarantee was launched in April 2019 to provide support to young people who have been in care. 

Trafford joined the nine other Greater Manchester Local Authorities, along with a wide range of partners, to create a Guarantee that outlines the city-region’s bold approach to boosting outcomes for often vulnerable young people who leave the care system.

Read the Greater Manchester Care Leavers Guarantee.

Joint Care Leavers Pledge

The Greater Manchester Housing Providers (GMHP), with endorsement from Mayor Andy Burnham, has launched a Care Leavers Pledge. This commitment ensures consistent and comprehensive support for young people transitioning from care.

The pledge commits each housing provider to offer stable, quality homes, alongside employment and skills opportunities, mentoring, and wider transitional support. This includes advice on money management and essential life skills.