A government-commissioned review has found that a dramatic drop-off in social services support at 18 contributed to the deaths of more than 100 care leavers in England in a year, describing the situation as a national tragedy.
Key facts
- More than 100 care leavers in England died in a single year, according to the review.
- The death rate among care leavers is three to four times higher than in the general population.
- The review blamed profound isolation and a sharp reduction in support when young people leave care at 18.
- The report described the problem as a 'national tragedy'.
- Many young people were left 'on their own' at 'the height of vulnerability' before they died.
A government-commissioned review has concluded that a sharp fall in support for young people leaving the care system at age 18 has contributed to the deaths of more than 100 care leavers in England in a single year, according to the Guardian.
The report found that profound isolation played a significant role in these early deaths. It described the situation as a national tragedy and said many young people were left on their own “at the height of vulnerability” before they died.
According to the Guardian’s reporting on the review, the death rate among care leavers is three to four times higher than that of the general population. The review attributed this elevated rate to the isolation experienced by those who leave care.
Central to the review’s findings is what was described as an “immense drop-off” in support from social services when a young person reaches 18. This transition point, the report indicated, can have catastrophic consequences for those who lose the support structures they had relied upon.
The review framed the loss of these young lives as the result of a system that, in the words cited by the Guardian, abandons them at 18. Individual accounts referenced in the coverage included one young person described as having been “left on his own.”
The findings place renewed focus on how England supports young people making the transition out of the care system and the gap in provision that can open at the age of 18.
Why it matters
Care leavers are among the most vulnerable young people in the country, and a death rate several times higher than the general population points to a systemic failure at a critical moment in their lives. The review's findings raise pressing questions for policymakers about how support is provided once young people age out of care at 18.
Frequently asked questions
How many care leavers died according to the review?
The review found that more than 100 care leavers in England died in a single year.
Why is the death rate among care leavers so high?
According to the review, the death rate is three to four times higher than the general population, blamed on the profound isolation of those leaving care and a dramatic drop-off in support at age 18.
What did the review identify as a key problem?
The review identified an 'immense drop-off' in support from social services when young people leave care at 18, leaving many on their own at a time of great vulnerability.