Care Leavers are some of the most vulnerable young people in our society: 62% of looked after children were taken into care due to abuse or neglect. Making the transition from care to independence is a challenging process, with many describing leaving care as a ‘cliff-edge’. Around 40% of care leavers aged 19-21 are not in education, employment or training, compared to 13% of 19-21 year olds in the general population. It’s vital that young people receive the support they need at this key moment in their lives, as failing to do so will have a lasting impact on their life chances.

Innovation Programme projects in this area are testing new ways of supporting young people leaving residential care through the Staying Close pilots. We are also supporting projects that test ways of building positive social networks around care leavers, so that they have support as they transition to independence.