A study recorded the impact of the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000 on care leavers. It said the life chances of care leavers had improved since legislation to help them was implemented: but there was a question as to how services for care leavers could improve further without continuing and additional ring-fenced funding.
Source: Bob Broad, After the Act: Implementing the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000, Monograph 3, Children and Families Research Unit/De Montfort University (0116 257 7114)
Links: Community Care report
Date: 2004-Jul
Detailed figures were published on the educational qualifications, employment at age 16, health, and cautions and convictions of looked-after children in England, for the year to 30 September 2003.
Source: Outcome Indicators for Looked-After Children: Twelve Months to 30 September 2003 - England, Department for Education and Skills, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2004-Jun
Detailed figures were published on the educational qualifications, employment at age 16, health, and cautions and convictions of looked-after children in England, for the year to 30 September 2003.
Source: Outcome Indicators for Looked-After Children: Twelve Months to 30 September 2003 - England, Statistical First Release 13/2004, Department for Education and Skills (0870 000 2288)
Links: SFR (pdf)
Date: 2004-Apr
One study found that local authorities were providing more services to meet the diverse needs of care leavers, following the introduction of the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000: however, it also found widespread concern about the removal of ring-fenced funding for leaving care services, which was due to end in March 2004. A second report said that, overall, the legislation had led to an improvement in support for care leavers, because of greater resources and more specialist professionals with smaller case loads: but it said that low priority was being given to the health needs of young people leaving the care system - particularly mental health and teenage pregnancy - and that too much of the housing on offer was unsuitable or even unsafe.
Source: Nadeem Hai and Alison Williams, Implementing the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000: The experience of 8 London Boroughs, National Children s Bureau (020 7843 6029) | Setting the Agenda: What's left to do in leaving care?, Action on Aftercare Consortium, c/o NCH (0845 762 6579)
Links: NCB report summary (pdf) | NCB press release | AAC report (pdf) | NCH press release | Community Care report
Date: 2004-Feb