Childhood in Care

The work done by organisations like Action for Children is invaluable. Every child deserves the opportunity to reach their full potential. Children in care deserve better support to overcome what has often been significant disadvantages in their early years – whether in education, mental health, or guidance into adulthood.  

There are 84,000 children in care in the UK. The average age a child enters care is 14, a pivotal time academically. It’s deeply concerning that care leavers—especially those at the age of 16—often face barriers that prevent them from engaging in post-16 education. Without support, many young people leaving care are more vulnerable to social exclusion, and far too many are unable to access the opportunities they deserve. 

Children in care and care leavers are disproportionately affected by mental health challenges, including depression and anxiety. More is to be done to provide sustainable, compassionate support networks for those affected. 

That’s why my Liberal Democrat parliamentary colleagues and I are calling for urgent changes to prioritise support for children in care. Our proposals include: 

• Extending support: Care leavers should have access to mentors or advisors up to at least the age of 25, ensuring they’re given the proper support they need during their transition into adulthood. 
• Minimising disruption: Children in care should only be moved when absolutely necessary, and when they do transition between homes or local authorities, there should be clear communication and agreed funding to support them. 
• Increasing the Care Leaver Bursary: The current £1,000 bursary should be increased to £2,000 to better support young people as they leave care. 
• Extending care: All 16-year-olds in care should be given the option to remain in care until they’re 25. This is especially important for young people whose family relationships break down and who need continued support from their local authority. 
• Exam and revision support: Children in care should receive tailored support for exam resits and revision, with the help of both local authorities and schools to ensure they’re not left behind academically. 
• Exploring future options: Care leavers should be encouraged to explore their future options, with full information on apprenticeships, colleges, and universities, and with no bias towards any particular path. 
• Tutoring and mentoring: Local authorities and schools should offer tutoring and mentoring for children in care from the age of 13, helping them build the academic skills and confidence they need. 
• Widening access to university: More care leavers should be encouraged to pursue higher education, with universities providing additional support, recognising alternative qualifications and life experiences when making admissions decisions. 
• Mandating local authority support: Every local authority should be required to pledge the level of support they will provide to children in care. These pledges should be legally enforced, with clear penalties for failing to meet their commitments. 

I remain committed to seeing these proposals through and will continue to back improvements for children in care in Parliament.