By Vivienne Russell | 12 March 2012
Half of children leaving local authority care believe this happens too early, according to a report by England’s children’s rights director.
After care, published today, surveyed 308 young people in 34 local authority areas who had just left or were just about to leave local authority care.
Almost half felt they were made to leave care too early (48%) and had been very badly prepared (49%). On average, most young people not in care leave home at the age of 24, but some of those in care leave at the age of 16.
One respondent to the survey said: ‘As a 16 year-old I have gone from a children’s home to a women’s refuge. I have gone from having lots of support to having none.’
Many respondents said they would have liked more support with practical issues such as money management and how to obtain and use documents such as passports and National Insurance cards.
Commenting on the survey’s findings, Roger Morgan, children’s rights director for England, said: ‘Not being prepared to leave care and being made to leave too early were themes that came up again and again… It was interesting to hear that one care leaver commented that it might be better to leave care in stages rather than so abruptly.’
But he added that it was ‘encouraging’ that 61% of care leavers said being in care had made their lives better.
As children’s rights director, Morgan has a statutory duty to ascertain and report the views of children who live away from home or in care.
