Not all young people placed into care have a positive experience, and sadly many who attend our event do so without the support of a loving family. The harsh reality for many is that they enter adulthood alone. Where most young people know they can rely on the support of family long after the age of 16, for these young care leavers, there is often no "go to" family member that they can approach for help or advice on simple things like how to change a plug, how to manage their finances, how to cook a basic meal or what to do when things go wrong.

Care leavers are unlikely to have the "safety net" option of being able to move back to their childhood home if things don't work out. They can be entirely alone in an unknown and often very scary world. Therefore, we aim to support them by giving them gifts that are practical whilst still being "desirable". Working closely with the Leaving Care Teams across Teesside, we strive to find out what they may be in need of, or what would be useful and support them. For example, if we are aware that a young person needs warm clothing or a winter coat, we will do our best to provide this as part of their gifts.