A study examined what worked in increasing the number of care leavers in 'settled, safe accommodation', on the basis of a systematic review of the research literature and analysis of key data.
Source: Mike Stein with Marian Morris, Increasing the Number of Care Leavers in 'Settled, Safe Accommodation', Research Review 9, Centre for Excellence and Outcomes in Children and Young People's Services (C4EO)
Links: Report | Summary | Community Care report
Date: 2009-Dec
A government taskforce report said that services for care leavers needed to strive for greater consistency, better local integration, and higher quality.
Source: Realising Young Potential: Supporting care leavers into education, employment and training, Social Exclusion Task Force/Cabinet Office (020 7276 1234)
Links: Report
Date: 2009-Nov
A report said that care leavers with mental health problems were missing out on vital support due to a shortage of specialist transition services.
Source: Emily Lamont, Jennie Harland, Mary Atkinson and Richard White, Provision of Mental Health Services for Care Leavers: Transition to adult services, National Foundation for Educational Research (01753 747281)
Links: Report | Summary | Children & Young People Now report
Date: 2009-Nov
The inspectorate for education and children's services examined how effective strategies and services could help to improve the quality of life for care leavers, and assist them to make successful transitions into adulthood and independence. It identifies how barriers to positive outcomes for care leavers had been overcome, based on a small-scale survey.
Source: Support for Care Leavers, HMI 080259, Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (07002 637833)
Links: Report | OFSTED press release | Action for Children press release | Community Care report
Date: 2009-Jul
The watchdog in Scotland for the rights of children and young people said that vulnerable children leaving the care system in Scotland experienced inadequate support, despite new procedures put in place by local authorities.
Source: Sweet 16? One Year On – Is life any sweeter?, Scotland's Commissioner for Children and Young People (0131 558 3733) Links: Report | SCCYP press release
Date: 2009-Mar
A report called on the government to introduce regulations to safeguard young people leaving foster care and ensure that local authorities across England provided them with a minimum level of support.
Source: From 'Leaving Foster Care' to 'Transition to Adulthood', Fostering Network (020 7620 6400) and Catch 22 Links: Report | Fostering Network press release
Date: 2009-Mar
A Member of Parliament introduced a Bill designed to set minimum standards of accommodation for young people leaving the care system.
Source: Young People Leaving Care (Accommodation) Bill, Helen Southworth MP, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Hansard | Community Care report
Date: 2009-Mar