This report reflects what I hear far too often from young people in or leaving care. Instead of receiving care and support that sets them up for life as independent adults, they speak about feeling side-lined, ignored and isolated.
Many of the recommendations match my own from the last four years as Children’s Commissioner: loving and safe homes that replace the dangerous use of illegal accommodation, support for foster and kinship carers, strengthened advice and advocacy, joined-up services from trusted professionals, help to maintain sibling relationships when that’s in their best interests and genuine care up to and beyond 18.
Most crucially, this report is centred around the voices of young people whose experiences of the current care system have given them many of the answers to fixing it. For them, and for the children growing up in care now, change is urgent.
