Supporting transitions for young people leaving care

The ability to vote, live independently and travel freely when reaching 18 can give us a sense empowerment and control. These transitional experiences can shape who we are and our outcomes later in life.

Although many of us pass from adolescence to adulthood with a sense of excitement, moving to university, independent living and/or joining the workplace can also be unsettling, uncertain and unfamiliar, particularly for young people leaving care.

‘Many [care leavers] feel ill-equipped to deal with the responsibility of managing accommodation, maintaining education or finding work and the challenges of accessing services and systems that are complex and often inflexible. Their experience contrasts with that of most young people, a fifth of whom remain living with parents until at least age 26 (Osborne, 2015) and most of whom receive practical and emotional support, retaining the option to return home for short or long periods of time long after they move out.’ (Research in Practice, 2017)

In the recent Care leaver transitions: Strategic Briefing, Research in Practice presents the latest evidence on how to provide the best quality support to care leavers, where the path to independence may not be clear cut.

Children and young people’s experience of care

Young people’s journey in the care system can vary considerably depending on their age of entry, their reasons for entering care, their experiences within the care system and their experiences prior to entering care. This can understandably impact upon their transitions from care and their continued journey into adulthood.

For example, The Pursuit of Permanence study (Sinclair et al, 2007), identifies that adolescents who have entered care aged 11 or over, or adolescents that have been neglected or abused, were found to have shown more behaviours that challenge and were doing worse at school. In contrast, those who had spent considerable time in care and entered at younger age (under 11), were found to have less behaviours that challenge.

When thinking about planning transitions and post-care accommodation, practitioners need to be aware of the changing nature of the demographics of looked after children and those approaching leaving care. For instance, statistics show that the number of unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASC) and proportion of children entering care aged 16 or over is increasing (DfE, 2016a). The different experiences of young people, such as the duration and nature of placements and the age of entry into care, will need to be taken into account when planning transitions and post-care accommodation.

The journey after care

Many care leavers move to independent living at a young age. Government statistics state that 14% leave care aged 16 and many leave their last placement by 18.

Based on data from 2016, 40% of former care leavers aged 19, 20 and 21 are not in employment, education or training (NEET), compared with 14% of all 19 to 21-year-olds (DfE, 2016a). Additionally, children in care and care leavers are significantly over-represented in the criminal justice system (Coyne, 2013). For example, less than 1% of the general population is a child in care or a care leaver, yet:

• Over 25% of the adult prison population has previously been in care.
• 49% of young men under the age of 21 in the criminal justice system have spent time in care.
• 61% of girls (aged 15-18) in custody have spent some time in local care.

Those leaving care are also less likely to go to university, with less than 6% in higher education (Offa, 2015). Children who have been in care and leaving care are also less likely to be in apprenticeships, with less than 1% of care leavers in traineeships in some areas (Centre for Social Justice, 2016). These statistics highlight the unique needs of care leavers and how individuals may struggle post-care.

Supporting care leaver transitions

Evidence suggests that gradual transitions to independent living can support care leavers. There are examples of local authorities and charities who are offering innovative housing options and supportive frameworks including:

• Training flats offering opportunities to experience living alone with support (while young people remain in, and return to, their care placement).
• Housing co-operatives for care leavers using housing stock from the council.

In addition to practical support, the emotional wellbeing of young people leaving care is fundamentally important. Moving away from home, possibly leaving behind friends, family and acquaintances, and becoming financially responsible for yourself can be isolating and lonely. Promoting opportunities to develop, maintain and strengthen healthy relationships can help to build an individual’s emotional resilience in order to be able to adapt to these changes.

In order to support successful care leaver transitions, professionals need to recognise the importance of preparing young people for leaving care. Enabling young people to actively participate and involve themselves in decision-making can help them in managing their future. Practical and emotional support throughout the process should begin early and include the young person, their foster carers and/or residential staff. And most importantly, professionals need to work in strengths-based ways to support the aspirations of young people during this transitional period of their lives.