Barnardo’s highlights awful conditions for those leaving the care system with CareBandB site
Children’s charity Barnardo’s has sought to drive attention to the poor housing conditions facing young people leaving the care system in a campaign fronted by a spoof website for ‘CareBandB’.
The website has been designed to at first look like a glossy website for tourists seeking accommodation, such as Airbnb, with visitors invited to choose a town in England.
However, the results then come up with names such as The Grim Retreat and descriptions such as ‘the worst two weeks of your life’ and ‘nothing like home’.
Barnardo’s CEO Javed Khan said: "The site is a tongue-in-cheek way of getting across a serious message about care leavers forced to live in cold, stark accommodation. The reality is that while many browse inviting websites filled with cosy and welcoming B&Bs for the perfect weekend away, our vulnerable young people have no choice but to accept the unacceptable.
“We recognise that local authorities are working with limited budgets but they need a range of ways of providing emergency accommodation. Our new guidance for local authorities and our Beyond Care campaign aims to help councillors provide better support to care leavers.”
Members of the public can bring the issue to the attention of their local councillor by simply entering their details on the site, with an email then issued to their councillor from their own email address, via ‘Carebandb’.