Choose Your Own Adventure: Maya's Situation
Follow Maya's journey and make decisions that impact her life. Reflect on each choice and its consequences.
Case Background — Maya
Maya is a 19-year-old care leaver from Manchester who identifies as non-binary (they/them) and comes from a Traveller background. They entered care at 13 following chronic neglect, emotional abuse and exposure to domestic violence. They frequently cared for younger siblings and regularly missed school, showing signs of malnourishment and anxiety.
Maya has mild learning difficulties and was placed on a SEN plan. They struggled with literacy and information processing but had strengths in art and music. Education was disrupted by multiple placement moves.
At 17, Maya began progressing in semi-independent living, starting a Health and Social Care course with aspirations to become a youth worker. However, their transition to adulthood was poorly managed: PA changes, no pathway plan updates, and diminishing support.
After turning 18, Maya was evicted without due process and is now sofa-surfing in unsafe accommodation with no awareness of their legal entitlements.
Maya is 19 and a care leaver. They use they/them pronouns and come from a Traveller family. They went into care at 13 because they were not kept safe at home.
Maya finds reading and learning harder, but they enjoy art and music. They moved placements a lot and missed school.
At 17 they started doing better and began a college course. But when they turned 18, support stopped.
They were evicted unfairly and now sleep on a friend's sofa in an unsafe place. They don’t know their rights.
Part 1: The Initial Response – Eviction and Homelessness
Scenario: Maya was evicted from their supported accommodation without notice or due process. They are now sofa-surfing in unsafe conditions and have no personal advisor or awareness of rights.
Scenario: Maya is kicked out without warning and now sleeps on a friend’s sofa where they feel unsafe. They have no worker helping them.
Reflective Questions
- How might Maya’s Traveller background influence her experience with housing services?
- How could non-binary identity affect how professionals respond to Maya?
- Are there potential biases in how support is offered to care-experienced young people from different cultural or social backgrounds?
- How can you ensure advocacy respects Maya’s cultural identity while addressing immediate needs?
- Does Maya’s family background make it harder for her to get housing help?
- Could her non-binary identity change how workers treat her?
- Are there unfair assumptions about care leavers from different backgrounds?
- How can you help Maya while respecting who she is?
Outcome — A
Maya gets short-term accommodation but her rights as a care leaver are overlooked. She feels supported emotionally but remains at risk due to systemic gaps in care and advocacy.
Maya gets a temporary place but still doesn’t get all the help she needs. She feels cared for but is still at risk.
Outcome — B
Housing offers temporary support but wider care-leaving responsibilities remain unmet. Maya feels relief but her long-term needs are not fully addressed, highlighting inequities for young people from diverse backgrounds.
Maya gets emergency help. She is relieved, but her bigger needs are still not solved.
Outcome — C
You confirm the eviction was unlawful and advocate for Maya’s rights and rehousing. Maya feels empowered and learns that legal advocacy can make a real difference.
You find out the eviction was wrong and help Maya get her rights. She feels more confident.
Part 2: Safeguarding Concerns – Unsafe Living Conditions
Scenario: Maya reports unsafe adults staying in the flat, pressure for money, and feeling frightened.
Scenario: Maya is staying somewhere unsafe and feels scared.
Reflective Questions
- How might cultural or family background affect Maya’s willingness to disclose risk?
- Are there biases in who gets safeguarding support based on identity?
- How can intersectionality inform your risk assessment?
- Could Maya’s family or culture affect what she tells you?
- Do all young people get fair safeguarding support?
- How can you consider her whole background when assessing risk?
Outcome — A
Risk escalates and Maya may be harmed. The lack of timely action shows how systemic bias and inaction can affect young people from minority backgrounds.
Nothing changes and Maya is at higher risk. Waiting caused problems.
Outcome — B
A safeguarding enquiry begins, but Maya feels betrayed. She later reflects on how identity and trust influence the effectiveness of interventions.
Help starts, but Maya feels upset. She learns who to trust.
Outcome — C
Maya agrees to a referral and moves to safer accommodation. The inclusive approach respects her identity and empowers her decision-making.
Maya agrees and moves to a safer place. She feels involved in decisions.
Part 3: Mental Capacity and Risky Decisions
Maya wants to sign a tenancy she does not fully understand and likely cannot afford.
Maya wants to sign a lease she may not understand or afford.
Reflective Questions
- How does cultural or family background affect Maya’s understanding of tenancy agreements?
- How can you ensure that intersectional factors are considered when supporting decision-making?
- Could Maya’s background affect how she understands a lease?
- How can you help her make a safe choice?
Outcome — A
Maya signs the tenancy but struggles to pay. She experiences stress and eviction, highlighting risks when support is not intersectional and culturally aware.
Maya signs but can’t pay and faces eviction. She feels stressed.
Outcome — B
Assessment confirms she needs support. Interventions are better targeted, demonstrating consideration of identity and capacity in decision-making.
She gets an assessment and help for making decisions.
Outcome — C
Maya chooses supported housing with confidence. Inclusive and accessible information ensures equitable support for her future.
Maya understands her choices and picks supported housing safely.
Part 4: Advocacy and Legal Redress
Maya wants to challenge her eviction and access missed entitlements.
Maya wants to complain about being evicted unfairly.
Reflective Questions
- How can advocacy be culturally sensitive and intersectional?
- What barriers exist for minority care leavers in accessing justice?
- How can help be fair and respect Maya’s background?
- What makes it hard for minority young people to get justice?
Outcome — A
Maya disengages and feels invalidated. She misses the chance for redress, showing how lack of advocacy can worsen inequities.
Maya feels ignored and misses help she could have had.
Outcome — B
Maya receives advocacy support and possibly compensation or apology. This demonstrates positive outcomes when diversity and rights are acknowledged.
Maya gets legal help and may get an apology or compensation.
Outcome — C
Maya receives a formal review and an apology. Practice improves, showing intersectional and inclusive advocacy in action.
Maya gets a review and apology. Things improve for her.
Final Outcome
Thank you for completing Maya’s story. This exercise demonstrates how legal literacy, trauma-informed practice and culturally sensitive approaches support care-experienced young people.