Following the publication of The Hidden Inequality: Understanding Financial Education Gaps for Care Leavers in Essex, financial education charity Money Ready convened a cross-sector roundtable to focus on how to turn insight into action.

Held in April, the roundtable brought together care-experienced young people, employers, local authorities, housing professionals, education providers and charities. The discussion was honest, solutions-focused, and grounded in lived experience. What emerged was clear: the barriers are not new, but too many remain unaddressed.

The reality behind the statistics

Care-experienced young people are often expected to navigate adulthood earlier and with fewer supports than their peers. While many young adults rely on family networks well into their twenties, care leavers often need to manage rent, employment, education and wellbeing, alone.

Participants described this as a “cliff edge” – a sudden transition where support falls away just as responsibilities increase.

But beyond the structural challenges, the roundtable highlighted something equally important: many barriers are highly practical, and fixable.

The everyday barriers holding young people back

Across education, employment and training, participants shared examples of friction points that can derail progress:

• Education: Limited support post-16, lack of continuity/accommodation during summer holidays and financial pressures forcing young people to prioritise income over learning
• Employment: Entry requirements (such as GCSE thresholds) excluding capable candidates, lack of flexibility for those without support networks, and low wages that do not meaningfully improve financial stability
• Training and progression: Apprenticeships triggering rent increases, confusion about how earnings affect benefits, and a lack of clear guidance on whether work will leave someone better off

These are not abstract policy issues; they are real-world challenges that shape day-to-day decisions. When systems are difficult to understand or appear to penalise progress, young people are more likely to disengage.

The role of partnership in driving change

The roundtable demonstrated the power of collaboration.

Support from Saffron Building Society has already enabled Money Ready to deliver targeted financial education for vulnerable young people in Essex. This partnership shows how the financial services sector can play a direct role in building confidence, capability and long-term resilience.

Education providers are also stepping forward. Event hosts, Anglia Ruskin University is an example of excellent practice in supporting care-experienced learners. Their approach recognises that access alone is not enough. Ongoing support is essential.

Examples of this include:

• Keeping campus facilities and support services accessible year-round, including during holiday periods
• Providing dedicated mentoring and pastoral support to care-experienced students
• Delivering outreach and engagement before university, helping raise aspirations and demystify higher education pathways

These interventions may seem simple, but they address some of the most significant gaps identified in the roundtable: continuity, supportive relationships and early intervention.

We were grateful to be joined at the roundtable by leaders across different walks of life united in the goal of achieving better outcomes for young care leavers.

For example, left to right, we have Marie Goldman MP (Chelmsford) and Lib Dem spokesperson for Women and Equalities; Colin Field, CEO of long-standing Money Ready corporate partners, Saffron Building Society; Leon Ward, CEO of Money Ready; two-time Olympic medallist, Fatima Whitbread MBE, who holds an honorary doctorate for contribution to sport and social impact, and grew up in the UK Care System; Helen Bazuaye, raised in foster care, now ‘Chief of Everything’, leading We Are Here, a social impact programme helping care experienced young adults break into the creative industries, also commissioned by Islington CC to write Care Handbook; Judy Darley, Brand Engagement Manager at Money Ready, who got us all together!

From discussion to delivery

The roundtable generated a clear set of next steps for local public sector consideration. These include embedding practical financial education into leaving care pathways, developing simple “better off in work” guidance, and strengthening coordination between local partners.

A call to action

The message from the roundtable was clear: change is possible, but it requires collective action.

We are now inviting organisations across Essex and beyond to be part of the solution:

• Employers can review recruitment practices, offer flexible pathways, and provide mentoring and/or paid work experience opportunities
• Education providers can strengthen post-16 support, ensure continuity during transitions, and build aspiration through outreach and exposure to inspirational role models
• Local partners and policymakers can simplify systems, align and better advertise support, and prioritise preventative approaches
• Corporate partners can invest in programmes that build financial capability and long-term resilience

At Money Ready, we are committed to working with partners to turn insight into impact, ensuring that every young person has the knowledge, confidence and support to navigate their financial lives.

This is not just about overcoming barriers, such as banks accepting student accommodation addresses as permanent when they are! It is about creating a system where care-experienced young people can thrive.

If you are interested in joining this growing coalition of partners, we would love to hear from you.