Each year 13,000 young people leave foster care, kinship care or residential care across Scotland and England. A third of these care-leavers are homeless within 2 years, through no fault of their own.

The National House Project (NHP) was, and is, co-produced with care-experienced young people to transform the way they leave care and move to independence.

When we asked young people what needed to change, they told us leaving care felt isolating and frightening. They didn’t feel prepared to live on their own, had little choice about where they moved, and no security in their tenancies. Having often moved multiple times as children, they wanted stability, choice, and a sense of belonging. Most importantly, they wanted to leave care together — with friends, community and ongoing support.

The House Project approach was created in direct response to these needs. Our vision is that every young person leaving care can live a connected, fulfilling and independent life.

By joining a Local House Project care-experienced young people get tailored support, develop skills for independence, gain new experiences and friendships, as well as a safe and secure home for as long as they want.

Since 2018, more than 680 young people have successfully moved into permanent housing through a Local House Project with no tenancy breakdowns or evictions. Many describe gaining “friends for life” and a renewed confidence to pursue education and employment.

We now partner with 23 local authorities and are growing rapidly, with a goal to reach an additional 2,500 young people by March 2029, including almost 2000 who will move into their own homes.

In April 2026, our team will take on the Glasgow Kiltwalk to bring our community together and raise vital funds for The National House Project to continue and expand its work.