Equal opportunities and equal rights for care leavers

The Leaving Care Centre of Excellence (KLC)

The KLC is the national hub for issues related to Leaving Care and is part of the YOUVITA branch association. The centre has been advocating for equal opportunities and equal rights for anyone leaving the care system all over Switzerland since 2019. Careleavers are young people making the challenging transition from a placement in an out-of-home accommodation to an independent life where they are responsible for themselves. The KLC activities are in four areas: knowledge generation, knowledge transfer, advocacy, and support. 

During the consolidation phase of 2023-2026, the KLC is focusing on the following objectives:

• Better general terms and conditions: Initiate and support political processes at both the cantonal and federal level
• Sustainable effectiveness of support: networking of the social infrastructure
• For all of Switzerland: opening French-speaking Switzerland
• A high level of social and professional awareness: events, training courses, campaigns
• A good base of expertise: support and networking of the Swiss research landscape dealing with issues around Leaving Care
• More impact thanks to specialist expertise and practical experience: promotion of self-organisations of careleavers and cooperation with the Careleaver Association of Switzerland 
• Information and orientation: mapping exercises, overviews, basic papers
• Broad range of knowledge transfer: presentations, trilingual website, newsletters

Careleaver Association of Switzerland

The Careleaver Association of Switzerland was founded and is managed by former foster children, who are also known as careleavers. The association operates at a national level and supports regional 'careleaver networks' (which then provide services to careleavers). The credo "By careleavers for careleavers" forms the basis of its approach, which means that the Careleaver Association of Switzerland is committed to supporting all careleavers who are making the transition to becoming independent.

The national association is committed to supporting careleavers as described below:

• Lobbying & public relations work from the perspective of those affected
• Access to information
• Contact point for emergencies

Establishment of regional networks

The regional Careleaver Networks support careleavers during their transition into an independent life. This is achieved by offering the individuals in question suitable services, infrastructure, and facilities. The coordination centre is an extremely important starting point here as it provides referrals and support to the relevant support centre. The network coordinator informs the regional institutions about the network's services. The network organises regional Careleaver meetings for young careleavers starting at the age of 16. At these meetings, (former) children in care and foster children who have also experienced the "Leaving Care" phase and others who are still in the process of leaving have the opportunity to network and support each other.

Setting up regional networks is central to ensuring that careleavers all over Switzerland are provided with the support they need. The networks that currently exist in the regions of Aargau, Bern, Basel, Solothurn, Zurich, and Central Switzerland are available to careleavers as important drop-in centres and play a crucial role in supporting and promoting the community of everyone concerned.