The many ways young care leavers are being failed by society

Posted on 5 October 2026 • Education, languages and health, Health

The price of leaving care

Justin Rogers, Lecturer in Social Work at the Open University

The review of 112 deaths among care leavers aged 18 to 24 in England in 2025 estimated that their death rate was three-to-four times that of their peers. Of the 47 female care leavers whose deaths were recorded, 24 were thought likely to have died by suicide.

The wider figures show that housing is part of this failure. In 2024-25, more than one in ten care leavers aged 18 to 20 were homeless or threatened with homelessness, including 600 immediately after leaving care. Secure housing is essential, but young people in care also need the kinds of support most of their peers receive from family.

My research explored how young people in foster care preserved connections despite disrupted networks. They did this through everyday contact and by using their valued possessions to strengthen their memories and hold on to relationships that had ended. Those connections brought practical help and belonging.

The review also points to the danger when these relationships fall away. Someone close is more likely to notice when a young person disappears from view, or when their physical or mental health deteriorates.

My recent study, co-authored with Ian Thomas and Philip Mendes, examined one UK charity’s housing and support service for care-experienced adults over 25. Every tenant we spoke to had experienced homelessness. They described the security of a tenancy and flexible support from trusted workers.

Support during transition is vital, but some need it much later in adulthood. The effects of childhood trauma and instability can continue well into adult life. Homelessness can also happen long after statutory support has ended.

England does not have enough suitable homes in the places they are needed, so local authorities compete for scarce placements at rising cost. The Public Accounts Committee found that spending on residential care almost doubled to £3.1 billion between 2019-20 and 2023-24, while the number of children rose by 10%.

We should confront the fact that some of this public money leaves the system as profit. Private companies run 84% of children’s homes; seven of the ten largest providers are owned by private equity. The Competition & Markets Authority found profit rates for children’s homes averaged 22.6% among the 15 largest children’s social care providers.

Since April 2026, Wales has prevented new for-profit children’s homes and fostering services from registering. England should follow the Welsh government’s lead and work towards removing profit from children’s care. Public money intended for care should be reinvested in services rather than being paid to investors.

The Children’s Wellbeing & Schools Act 2026 allows the education secretary to cap profits made by non-local authority children’s home providers and independent fostering agencies. That power should be used now, with comparable controls introduced for supported accommodation.

Money saved should fund secure housing and support. Decisions about that support should be based on an assessment carried out with the person and reviewed as their circumstances change, rather than on arbitrary age cut-offs.

Full article available on The Conversation

Picture credit: Antoni Shkraba on Pexels