Digital Poverty Alliance launches Tech4Young People in Care in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
The Digital Poverty Alliance (DPA) has launched Tech4Young People in Care in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough to give laptops to young people in residential centres or with foster families.
The programme will provide young people in care, between the ages of 11 and 19 years-old with their own refurbished laptop to help with schoolwork and accessing online services, as well as connectivity support.
In 2025, 81,770 children were looked after by local authorities in England, with the majority in foster placements. According to Ofsted, 705 of those were in Cambridgeshire and 416 were in Peterborough.
The programme is funded by £160k from E2BN, the East of England education technology organisation.
Elizabeth Anderson, CEO of the Digital Poverty Alliance, said: “Children in care should be able to do schoolwork online, keep in touch with friends, and apply for their first job the same as everyone else their age. But too often that relies on having access to a laptop and a working internet connection which they don’t always have, or that laptop is shared.”
“Through Tech4Young People in Care, those in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough will get a device of their own, and the people caring for them will be better placed to help. What we learn will help make the case for every young person in care across the country to have the same access.
Alongside the laptops and connectivity, Tech4Young People in Care will run workshops for professionals that support children in care or foster families to help them make use of the technology.
Kathy Olsson, Education Manager at E2BN, said: “E2BN is delighted to support another 'Tech4' project with the DPA. A child without access to technology at home is at a significant disadvantage when it comes to learning, engaging in social activity and eventually seeking and gaining employment. Through the Tech4YPIC project we hope to reduce that disadvantage for pupils in care in Peterborough and Cambridgeshire.”
The Digital Poverty Alliance, alongside Shearwater Global, will evaluate the programme to measure the effect on young people’s education, social lives and wellbeing, with the findings being used to make policy recommendations to the government.
To apply for the Tech4Young People in Care programme, please visit: https://digitalpovertyalliance.org/tech4ypic/