More support for care leavers urged by children’s charities

Young people who have been in care in Scotland should be given more support in early adulthood, according to children’s charities.
The Children and Young People Bill currently going through the Scottish Parliament is due to extend the age at which care leavers can get help from 21 to 25.

But a coalition of children’s charities have said that does not for far enough.

They are due to put their case to MSPs at Holyrood later.

The new legislation is currently at stage one of its progress through parliament.

The education and culture committee has been hearing evidence on various aspects of the bill.

Continuing care

Every year, 1,300 young people aged between 16 and 18 leave residential care in Scotland.

The coalition, led by Who Cares? Scotland, in partnership with Barnardo’s and Aberlour, said many will not get the support they need because they have to go through an assessment.

The charities have called on ministers to amend the legislation to ensure it provides a “continuing care” service to young people up to 26 years old rather than an “aftercare” service.

Duncan Dunlop, chief executive of Who Cares? Scotland said: “We commend the current government for their commitment to children and young people from care; however, part 8 of the bill doesn’t go far enough.

“Scotland’s care leavers face disproportionately poor outcomes in almost every area of life. We need to fix that. We need to invest in them. We need to commit to better for them. We owe them that.

“The real cost of care is there for all to see; and the majority of Scotland’s care leavers are living with these real costs daily. It’s not fair. They didn’t ask for the life they have, but they need to live with it.

“Let’s give them the life-line they deserve with this bill and commit to continuing care for them.”