In Bradford we want all of our young people to have the opportunities to achieve their goals. We know that education, skills and employment can increase and improve your experiences whether your goal is to be financially independent, career orientated or to make friends in a new environment, we know it’s not a one size fits all journey.
If you’re looking for education, employment or training opportunities, your Personal Advisor can support you. They can help with everything from finding the right job or training program to getting travel passes or interview clothing. Plus, they can boost your confidence and help you develop essential workplace skills.
Bradford has a one stop specialist careers service, called the Skills House, that can help you in finding the right opportunity for you.
The Skills House careers and training support is available for any care leaver over the age of 16 years and can offer a wide range of support, from help with writing cv’s, work experience, college, university and job applications and mentoring.
You can find out more information about Skills House here. SkillsHouse Bradford | Bradford jobs, training and recruitment
We will also offer you:
- Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) from your Personal Advisor and colleagues within the Virtual School including routes into employment which might include traineeships and apprenticeships.
- Preparation for interviews: from mock questions with your Personal Adviser, support to access online resources and if you need it, a clothing grant to make sure you feel at your best.
- If you are eligible, you can access support from the 16 to 19 Learning Bursary. The Bursary is provided from your education or training provider so you can purchase the equipment you might need or pay for travel costs to your course. Care leavers are a priority group for the 16 to 19 Bursary Fund administered by FE colleges, which pays a bursary of up to £1,200 a year to support vulnerable young people to participate in education or if over 19 the discretionary bursary for costs associated with your course.
- Support you to access Bradford Vibe at Forsters College. Bradford Vibe is a community initiative led by the Department for Work and Pensions, hosted by Bradford College and supported by a wide variety of services all under one roof. It supports 18 to 25 year-olds who have multiple barriers to gaining employment and are receiving benefits.
- Traineeships are an exciting way to achieve your qualifications whilst learning on the job and can be a stepping stone into an apprenticeship. Your Personal Adviser can link you with local learning providers including Qube Learning to find the pathway in the industry you are interested.
- Apprenticeships start at Level 2 up to degree level, where you can undertake work-based learning alongside study. You will be paid as part of your apprenticeship. You can find out more via Find an apprenticeship – GOV.UK.
- Care Leavers are also eligible for a one off grant of £3000 when undertaking an apprenticeship.
- If you wish to return to education, training, or start an apprenticeship after having a baby, your personal advisor can support you with accessing childcare costs and applying for Care to Learn grants.
- The Care Leavers Covenant provides links to training, employment and social opportunities including discounts specifically for care leavers.
Bradford Children and Families Trust are already offering ring fenced apprenticeships for care leavers in Bradford council and the children’s trust and are working on developing this further by becoming a Care Leaver Friendly Employer and working with other employers and organisations to offer employment opportunities to care leavers.
Other pages in this section
- About the Care Leavers Local Offer: Introduction and Testimonies
- Accommodation
- Bradford Trust Care Leavers Finance Policy 2025
- Health and Wellbeing
- If you are a parent or parent to be
- Money Matters
- Our Corporate Parenting Responsibilities to you
- Participation – Your Voice
- Preparing for Independence
- Relationships, Identity and Participation
- Support for Separated Migrant Young People
- Support if you have additional needs
- Turning 25: ‘always here’
- Who is a Care Leaver?
- Who is a Personal Advisor and how will they help me?
- Your Leaving Care Service
- Your Pathway Plan
- Your right to be heard and taken seriously
- Your Rights
- Youth justice services, probation and prison
If your path takes you to university
- We will support you if you choose to study higher education alongside your employment or whilst remaining in your own accommodation.
- Help you navigate Student Finance and whether your chosen Higher Education establishment offers anything further for students who are also care leavers.
- Help you decide on the right affordable university or student accommodation, and if needed where you will stay in the holidays.
- Assist you with a bursary of £2000 to help with the costs of books and materials spread over the length of your course. The HE Bursary is normally paid every term to you to support you financially whilst studying. We offer financial support for one course of higher education. This will be paid in the same way as National Funding, for example the length of the course (plus one extra year if required)
If you are thinking about university and wonder if this is right for you can find lots of information through Go Higher West Yorkshire.
Go Higher also publish a guide for care leavers about further education and university options. You can access this here.
Most universities have a link worker who supports care leavers and if you tick the box ’ ‘time in care’ on your UCAS application saying you are a care leaver, you may be eligible for bursaries, grants and additional financial support.
The Unite Foundation Scholarship provides care experienced with free accommodation for up to three years of study. You can apply for this at the same time as making your UCAS application. Unite also host an online support group for care experienced students called All of Us.
“Speak to your PA, I didn’t even realise what opportunities or what was available until we started talking about it. I got help to prep for my interview. Take every opportunity you can, I’m now planning on going down to Number 10!” (YP; Leaving Care Apprentice Personal Adviser)