National Care Leavers Week | Interview with Jayne Tanti, Care Leaver Coordinator at His Majesty’s Parc Prison

Jayne Tanti, Care Leaver Coordinator at Parc Prison

This week is National Care Leavers Week.

University of South Wales (USW) is committed to providing support for students from or leaving care who want to go on to higher education (HE). USW is a member of CLASS (Care Leaver Activities and Student Support) Cymru partnership, who share best practice relating to care leavers across HE institutions in Wales. 

USW’s Care Leaver Coordinator, Lynda Jones, has been working closely with Jayne Tanti, USW graduate and Care Leaver Coordinator at Parc Prison (employed by G4S). Here, Jayne talks about her role and experiences of being a care leaver herself:

“The Office of National Statistics reports that, in the UK, 25% of adult prisoners are care experienced.

Care experienced people are also underrepresented in higher education. Research shows that only 6% of care leavers go on to access higher education before they are 21.

Care leavers grow up with the stigma of bad behaviour. It can be a traumatic life. When life is in turmoil, they can feel unsafe, they disengage and become hyper-vigilant. If teachers have not had sufficient training or experience, then they are unaware that a traumatised brain develops differently. The children are not supported and then are often excluded from school for challenging behaviour.

Once these young people are excluded from school and left the care system, they can struggle as they don’t have the basic qualifications or social skills to work or support themselves. They will find a way to survive, which is why they end up in the wrong crowds, gangs, or groomed into a life of crime.

At 16, these young people are given a set of keys and left to survive on their own.

As you can imagine, to go into adulthood with no positive role model is incredibly isolating. Having little to no education impacts every part of your life. From job applications, to accessing mental health support, and lots more.

I was in the care system myself, from 11 months old to age 16. It was a lonely childhood, meaning that I had barely any support in becoming independent as an adult, especially at such a young age.

I remember being punished for not wanting to make a Mother’s Day card. I had no one to give a Mother’s Day card to, so why I was being asked to make one? It was different for another child whose mum had died. Teachers showed an understanding of his needs. They had no awareness of my needs and the fact I was also suffering a loss but in a different way. It is heart-warming to know that USW has put in place optional support for care leaver students around Mother’s and Father’s days.

It is only recently that I went back into education. I was excluded from school with no qualifications. Starting university was like jumping into a different world. I had always been told that I could not do it. I started with an access course and this was the first time I felt like I was not being judged and I felt normal. I was still working alongside a full-time course as well as a single mum to four children. I guess this is where I am thankful for my life in care as I had the resilience to carry on. I have pretty much fought for everything in my life and it made me more determined to, not just pass, but to pass with first-class honours, which I achieved! Your past does not determine your future!

I did not want to identify as a care leaver in the beginning of my studies as I thought this information would get me excluded. In reality, disclosing yourself as care experienced allows the university to offer more support. I now know that USW offers care leavers access to 365-day accommodation, a bursary, and a nominated person for contact. As well as further support after graduation, in terms of a one year ‘Ask Jan’ membership from the Rees Foundation.  This membership provides practical support as they leave university and transition to life outside of the care system.

My role at Parc Prison, as Care Leaver Coordinator looks to identify their needs and support anybody who has lived in the care system or been adopted, with the aim to avoiding re-traumatisation in custody.

We have set up a peer-to-peer mentoring scheme. The aim is to help those care leavers coming into the system and help them pick up English and Maths qualifications and find alternative ways to support them.

We are running a ‘Connect’ event at the prison with the theme, ‘You are More than Your Past’.  We bring charities, mental health support, housing, finance etc. together to speak to the young people about the things they need to know so they can access support when released. USW colleagues are kindly coming along where they will pass on information about educational opportunities and available support.

I have developed and delivered ‘trauma informed care awareness’ training to educate professionals who work with care experienced people. I have offered to run this training at USW too.

The message that I want to get out is that despite having been in both the care system and criminal justice system, these young adults need somebody to believe in them so they can believe in themselves – regardless of what they have been through.”

More information on USW’s care leaver support here.