Coram Voice in collaboration with the Rees Centre has published a report which shows stark variations in the wellbeing of care leavers across England and includes seven key recommendations for local authorities (LAs). The analysis, based on a survey of 1,804 care leavers in 21 English LAs between 2017 and 2019, found that:
- The percentage of care leavers with low wellbeing ranged from 14% to 44% by local authority.
- In one authority, half of young people did not always feel safe in their home, in another local authority the same was true for only one in five.
- Nearly a quarter (24%) of care leavers reported a disability or long-term health problem, against just 14% of 16-24-year olds in the general population.
- Over a quarter of care leavers (26%) have low life satisfaction compared to just 3% in the general population.
- One in five care leavers (20%) report struggling financially, more than twice the percentage of non-care experienced young people (9%).
Further details and a link to download the full ‘What makes life good? Care leavers’ views on their wellbeing’ report are on the Coram website. A briefing, ‘The voices of children in care and care leavers on what makes life good: Recommendations for reviewing the care system’ was also published in November.