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The outcomes for children who grow up in care are shocking. A vital part of the welfare state, which exists to promote the safety and wellbeing of highly vulnerable young people, is falling short in health, education and employment terms. They have a 62% higher chance of dying before the age of 75 than their peers, and are four times as likely to have a criminal conviction or caution. While the number of children in the care system in England has fallen from its all-time high of 83,750 in 2023, the latest figure of 81,770 in March last year is still 17.7% higher than a decade ago.
A recently announced raft of reforms, including free prescriptions for care leavers, will not solve all of the problems. The dire financial position of many councils, and depleted state of local services, have a particularly damaging impact on the lives of those who rely most on the state. One survey last year found that the recruitment and retention of social workers was the biggest workforce challenge that English councils face. There is also a shortage of foster carers, with a consultation on expanding eligibility expected to open soon. Since children’s social care is devolved, none of the changes being discussed will affect Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, where the most recent figures show that a further 23,230 children are looked after by the state.
These are important caveats. Eye-catching initiatives launched during the holidays must not distract from deeply entrenched shortcomings in public services. But the new entitlement to free prescriptions, dentistry and eye care for care leavers in England up to the age of 25 should be welcomed all the same. First, because the removal of charges ought to make it easier for young adults to access treatment. Second, because it represents an acknowledgment of the state’s ongoing responsibility to young people who have been removed from their birth families, or who have arrived in the UK unaccompanied, beyond their 18th birthdays. Other new measures include a pilot scheme to provide dedicated mental health support and internships in the NHS.
At a time when more young people are living with parents into adulthood, partly due to the higher cost of living and lack of affordable housing, this is a necessary correction. The lack of post-18 support for care leavers places them at a huge disadvantage when compared with their peers, and is one reason why only a small proportion (about 14%) manage to access higher education. This is an area in which England could learn from Scotland, where the number of care leavers going to university was increased by bursaries. New findings from the science of ageing are also relevant, with one recent study proposing that the “adolescent” phase of brain development lasts until the age of 32.
Josh MacAlister, who wrote a report on children’s social care for the Conservatives, is now a children’s minister in Bridget Phillipson’s education department. He should use his position to push through further changes, including an overall rebalancing of the children’s social care sector in favour of public and non-profit provision. In the meantime, he and his colleagues must ensure that young care leavers are aware of their new entitlements. In recent years, UK governments have slowly improved support to help care leavers to make the transition to adulthood. These latest changes must now be built on.
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