For young people
A place of your own, and someone in your corner.
If you are leaving care, moving on can feel like a lot to do on your own. It does not have to be. With Milestone you get a proper home, your own space, and a keyworker who helps you sort things out at your pace — not someone standing over you.
What it is like
Your home, not an institution.
You will have your own room in a small shared house with a few other young people, or a flat of your own. It is somewhere to relax, have friends round within the house rules, cook your own food, and just live.
Staff are around to help, but they are not there to run your life. There are some house rules — the basics that keep everyone safe and getting on — and we will go through them with you so nothing is a surprise. Beyond that, your time is yours.
Your keyworker
One person who really knows you.
You will have your own keyworker — someone you meet with regularly who gets to know you and what you want to get out of life. They are the person you go to when you need a hand or just want to talk something through.
Together you will make a plan that is yours: what you want to work on, and the steps to get there. You can disagree with it, change it, and take the lead in it.
Things a keyworker can help with
- Cooking, shopping and looking after your place
- Money — budgeting, bills and benefits you are owed
- Getting into college, training or work
- Registering with a doctor and dentist
- Sorting appointments and forms
- Feeling safe, and dealing with anything worrying you
Your rights
What you can always expect.
To be treated with respect
However you have been treated before, here you will be listened to, believed and treated fairly — whoever you are, whatever your background, faith, or who you love.
To be safe
Feeling safe in your home is not a bonus, it is the point. If something or someone is making you feel unsafe, we will take it seriously and act.
To have your say
Decisions about your support are made with you. You can ask questions, say no, and change your mind.
To your privacy
Your room is your space. We only share information about you when we have to keep you safe, and we will be honest with you about it.
To get what you are owed
There is real money and support you are entitled to as a care leaver. Part of our job is making sure you actually get every bit of it.
To not have to explain your past
You never have to tell us your story to get help. You can share what you want, when you want, or not at all.
Your voice
If something is not right, tell us.
You do not have to put up with things. If you are unhappy about anything — the house, a member of staff, a decision, anything — you can say so, and we will listen and do something about it.
You can talk to your keyworker, or to their manager if it is easier. If you would rather tell someone outside Milestone, you can — your social worker, your personal adviser, or an advocate whose whole job is to speak up for you. We will help you reach them, and telling us you are unhappy will never count against you.
When we write updates for your social worker, we put your own words in them. If something is going well, or not well, the people around you hear it from you.
Moving on
When you are ready — and the door stays open.
Living with Milestone is a step, not a stop. As you get more confident with the everyday things — cooking, money, keeping a place going — we help you move towards your own tenancy, one step at a time, so it never feels like being pushed off a cliff.
And when you do move on, you can still get in touch. Having somewhere to live does not mean losing the people who know you. The door stays open.
How you come to live with us
You do not refer yourself — your social worker or personal adviser does that for you. But you get a say.
If you like the sound of Milestone, tell your worker you would like to live with us. You can ask for us by name.
Want to know more?
Ask your social worker or personal adviser about Milestone — or take a look around the rest of the site to see how we work.