The end game

There are times when statistics tell the story.

• Young people leaving care are more likely to be in trouble with the police than go to university.
  
  
• Half of the under 25’s in prison were in care. 27% of the prison population.
  
  
• Only 11% of looked after children leave school with five good GCSE’s, it’s 56% of the general population.
  
  Source: The Centre for Social Justice, 2007.
  

Leading care charities are calling for young people to be able to stay with a foster carer until 21, rather than the current limit of 18.

They point out that the average age to leave home in the UK is now 24, and it is difficult for any 18 year old, let alone one who has had a traumatic upbringing, to face the big wide world at 18.

The government is about to launch ten pilot programmes to allow care to be extended to 21, which is already happening in Northern Ireland.

The Department of Health for Northern Ireland is looking to increase take-up of their scheme which around 40% of 18-year-olds are currently going into.

They believe staying in a family environment has real benefits. In a statement they said:

"A recent evaluation of the scheme which we have just received shows very positive feedback from young people, their carers and social workers."

In Cumbria young people can stay with their foster carer in some circumstances, but the carer would face a big cut in money.

Sally Motrem, project officer for supported lodgings at Cumbria County Council said:

“When they are 18 they are no longer a child and the carers responsibilities should change, they don’t have certain meetings and reviews to attend, and so the payments reflect that.”

Leaving care services vary across the country but Cumbria has a Homestays scheme which provides homes for young people to stay in when they are leaving care.

Mrs Motrem said this important scheme can help people who could have ended up on the streets:

"Although they would be accepted as a more needy group, they would be competing for very rare
homeless accommodation.”

Difficult Experience

Some care leavers move to supported lodgings where they live independently but have a support worker that can offer advice and guidance.

Leanne Holeman moved into supported lodgings at 16 after becoming pregnant. She said:

“That was difficult because it went from having everything handed to me on a plate to having someone coming round to see me once a week to collect rent and say 'do you want this or that.'”

Whoever you are talking about, you are more likely to fall into crime if you don’t have a stable job.

But how do you get a job without qualifications? 22% of school leavers in care will be unemployed within three months of finishing school, that is three times the average.

Foster care providers are increasingly trying to focus on improving the education of children in foster
care.

Laurie Gregory, director of the foster care co-operative said:

“We have worked out a way of handling the educational needs of our children and monitoring them and troubleshooting.

That has had quite an enormous impact" he said.