Rationale   
Young people from residential care facilities often lack a strong family or social network to fall back on. Studies show a considerable number of homeless people have spent time in a youth care institution. They remain faced with ‘structural homelessness’ and unemployment. More often than not the roots to these lifelong challenges lie in ineffective guidance in the transition from youth care to young adulthood. For many vulnerable youngsters the gap after youth care is just too big. There is a strong need for after care mechanisms.

Content    
During the conference, we will present an after care guarantee model and policy recommendations in order to involve and increase awareness at all levels (from policy to youth work and young people themselves). These recommendations will be activated by hearing the youngsters and their accompanying staff. Regional ministers and administrations will reflect on future after care strategies and policies and a representative of the European Commission will share the perspective of the Commission on social protection and after care. To conclude the day, we will discuss the importance of prevention and an integrated collaboration of different sectors in after care mechanisms, based on the experiences of the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness and the Homeless Hub.