ABSTRACT
This chapter highlights some of the essential ingredients in the mix of thinking and practice which goes into providing for young people when they leave therapists' care to make the transition into a harsh and unforgiving world without the support network provided for the vast majority of therapists by parents, relatives and friends. It describes the legislative framework within which our work is guided, the way in which the Caldecott Foundation has responded to the guidelines and more importantly, the messages from young people in research. Leaving care, for example, leaving the warm tolerance of long-suffering foster carers or leaving a supportive and concerned residential home or halfway semi-independence unit, is a very big step to take. Most young people experience a number of changes of social worker but the Throughcare worker, who ideally will have known the young person even before he or she left care, is able to offer continuous, consistent and reliable support.
