The deaths of young people leaving care have raised serious concerns about the support systems in place. Children’s minister Josh MacAlister said that many care leavers experience deep isolation and loneliness. He emphasized the need to humanize both adult and children’s social care services. MacAlister believes that strong emotional connections should be at the heart of all care efforts.
According to a review, 36% of care leavers likely died by suicide. The report also noted that 24 of those who died were women, according to The Guardian.
MacAlister suggested that a service covering ages zero to twenty-five could better support these young people. One case involved a young man whose care hub was closed for renovations. His personal adviser was also on leave at the time.
The man’s body wasn’t found for two weeks after he went missing. Care leavers are typically assigned a personal adviser to help them transition into independent life. These advisers are supposed to support the young people until age twenty-one.
However, a review found that many advisers barely knew the individuals they were assigned to. These advisers often saw their clients only once every two months.
Since December 2023, local authorities have been required to report the deaths of care leavers. This reporting is done through a serious incident notification system.
MacAlister said the situation should prompt action from both government and social care sectors.
IMAGE: Official portrait of Josh MacAlister MP, 3:4 crop.. Photo: ©House of Commons / Laurie Noble / Wikimedia, taken 2024-07-10, CC BY 3.0