Drive Forward Foundation welcomes the government’s recent announcement, led by Wes Streeting MP and Josh MacAlister MP, which includes changes shaped by years of advocacy from care-experienced young people and organisations including Drive Forward Foundation. 

The announcement includes commitments Drive Forward Foundation has consistently pushed for through our policy and advocacy work: 

• Free NHS services up to age 25 — extending access to prescriptions, dental care and eyecare, a key issue we raised in our work on health inequalities for care leavers 
• Better mental health support — stronger safeguarding and a three-year pilot, reflecting our calls for specialist, easy-to-access mental health support 
• More routes into work — NHS guaranteed interviews and paid internships, aligning with our advocacy for fair access to employment 

Care-experienced young people tell us that poor mental health support and barriers to work are two of the biggest challenges they face. Many struggle to access the right help at the right time, making it harder to stay in education, secure housing or move into employment. 

Since 2020, Drive Forward Foundation’s Policy Forum — led by care-experienced young people — has actively campaigned for better mental health support. We have taken young people’s experiences directly to ministers and senior decision-makers, clearly setting out what needs to change and why. 

Drive Forward Foundation’s advocacy has included: 

• Meeting with government ministers and senior officials to influence policy discussions 
• Speaking at parliamentary events and national forums to keep care leavers’ experiences visible 
• Bringing together professionals and policymakers to demonstrate what effective mental health support for care leavers looks like 

We have also been vocal in calling for practical employment opportunities that lead to real jobs. Our long-standing work with employers to promote guaranteed interviews, paid internships and inclusive recruitment practices is reflected in the new NHS employment pathways announced. 

This announcement is an important step forward, but real impact will depend on delivery. Drive Forward Foundation will continue to advocate for these commitments to be fully implemented so care-experienced young people see genuine, lasting change. 

We remain committed to amplifying young people’s voices and opening doors to opportunity – from Care to Career.