Runaways and Foster Care in London

[alpha_orionis_v]

Setting: Now-ish. Probably '06 or '07

Comments

[smellingbottle]

Have a look at this link to a well-known South London organisation called Kids' Company which works with vulnerable/homeless/addicted/criminal teenagers - they have drop-in centres, and there's a section on how to become a KC mentor, which might work for your character:

http://www.kidsco.org.uk/

This is a newspaper article contrasting the Kids' Company approach with that of a completely different London youth centre (only for boys):
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/apr/11/right-way-to-raise-children

Search within the Guardian newspaper site for 'children in care' and you'll get a lot of articles about the issue, fostering, and education provisions etc.

[alpha_orionis_v]

I think that second one might be exactly what I need. Thanks!

[jayb111]

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/index.htm... )

[jarethrake]

I don't know if this will help, but there's two social workers who hang out in the local McDonalds a few evenings a week (I work there), and have one on one or group sessions with a few kids from the area (most of whom are also regular customers). Because we rarely fill every table, they buy a coffee each and sit there all evening.