How to support young people leaving care to step into adult life with the skills, entitlements and relationships they need — in children's homes, foster care, supported living and supported accommodation. Covers the leaving care framework and care leaver entitlements, pathway planning, money and benefits, housing and tenancy readiness, education and employment, health, life skills, social capital, identity work, and transitions done gradually rather than at a cliff edge.
What this course covers
- Describe the leaving care framework: pathway plans, personal advisers and support to age 25
- Explain key care leaver entitlements, including the local offer, Staying Put and Staying Close
- Support pathway planning that the young person genuinely owns
- Build practical capability across money, housing, education and employment, health and daily living
- Strengthen the relationships and social capital that outlast services
How much does Preparing for Adulthood: Supporting Independence training cost?
£4 per person on Care2Learn, with no minimum order and no subscription. If your team needs a full training matrix rather than one course, a subscription at £2 per learner per month covers every course in the catalogue — see the 2026 price comparison.
Who needs it
Everyone supporting 16-to-25s towards independence — supported accommodation and supported living staff above all, where every ordinary day is the curriculum — plus personal advisers and leaving-care teams. Completion is recorded with the date taken and the date it is next due, so it appears correctly on your training matrix and can be evidenced at inspection.
What the learner receives
A certificate in their own name carrying the CPD Aligned seal, showing the completion date and the renewal date a year later, downloadable at any time. The record belongs to the learner, not just the employer — it travels with them rather than sitting in one provider's system.
Related courses
Providers usually assign these alongside Preparing for Adulthood: Supporting Independence.
- Effective Key Working with Young People — 45 min online, £4 per person
- Risk Assessment & Safety Planning with Young People — 40 min online, £4 per person
- Substance Misuse, Smoking & Vaping — 40 min online, £4 per person
- Online Safety & Digital Safeguarding — 45 min online, £4 per person
You can also browse the full catalogue, or read about the Care Certificate for staff new to care.
Frequently asked questions
How long does Preparing for Adulthood: Supporting Independence training take?
About 45 min of e‑learning, across 12 sections with 15 assessment questions. Learners can stop and resume at any point, and it works on a phone.
What does Preparing for Adulthood: Supporting Independence training cover?
By the end of the course a learner should be able to describe the leaving care framework: pathway plans, personal advisers and support to age 25; explain key care leaver entitlements, including the local offer, Staying Put and Staying Close; support pathway planning that the young person genuinely owns. The full list of learning outcomes is set out above.
Is Preparing for Adulthood: Supporting Independence CPD Aligned, and how is it assessed?
Yes — the certificate carries the CPD Aligned seal. The assessment is multiple choice with a pass mark of 70%; attempts are recorded and learners can retake it. Renewal is set at 12 months from the completion date, so the course reappears on your training matrix when it is due.
Does it cover care leaver entitlements?
Yes — the leaving care framework from the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000 onward: pathway plans, personal adviser support to 25, the local authority's published local offer, Staying Put and Staying Close, bursaries and priority statuses. Learners in Scotland and Wales see a platform notice covering their nations' schemes.
Does this count towards the Care Certificate?
No — this is a standalone course rather than one of the Care Certificate standards. The Care Certificate is available as its own guided course for staff who are new to care.
Add Preparing for Adulthood: Supporting Independence to your team
£4 per person, or included on a £2 per learner subscription.
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