New Report: Supporting English Care Leavers Into Independence

Barnardos has published a new report 'The costs of not caring: supporting English care leavers into independence'.

The Barnardo's report is based on research with 20 care leavers and finds that some local children's services are placing care leavers in unsuitable housing with "unrealistic" expectations as to how well they can cope with living alone.

The report found that some young care leavers are provided with good quality accomodation and emotional support, but this stops abruptly when they turn 18.

Often poorly prepared for how to run a home on their own, care leavers can find themselves unable to pay the rent and getting into arrears.

The report also revealed that lack of contingency planning offered by local authority departments was having a detrimental impact on costs to the public purse, with some not offering to help young people at the earliest opportunity.