Children in care should stay until 25 – children’s commissioner
For those in rural communities this is an interesting story to reflect on. The existence of “grey pockets” villages bereft of young people is an increasingly topical area of discussion. Just think of the relative chances of a young care leaver finding accommodation or employment in rural England in response to this story which tells us:
Vulnerable young people should be allowed to stay in care until they are aged 25, the government’s children’s commissioner for England has said.
A survey of nearly 3,000 children and young adults found nearly a third had felt forced to fend for themselves too early, Anne Longfield said.
She said most parents would not “wave goodbye” to children at 18 and “we shouldn’t do so for children in care”.
A Department for Education spokesman said reforms had been made since 2010.
Ms Longfield – who took up her post as children’s commissioner in March – said there were about 69,000 children in care in the UK.