The Challenges Of Leaving Care

So many of our programmes at Goal 17 are focused on providing mentorship and support for young care leavers, and with November being National Care Leavers Month, there’s no better time to draw attention to their struggles.

You might imagine that leaving the care system represents a new chapter of independence and opportunity for young people – the start of a new, better life. Unfortunately, this couldn’t be further from the truth for many care leavers. This transition is often marked by instability, uncertainty and systemic gaps in support. Despite the frameworks in place designed to protect care leavers, the reality often falls short of the promise.

1 - The Sudden Transition to Independence

One of the most pressing issues for care leavers is the abrupt nature of the transition from care to independence. From the age of 16, a young person in the foster system has the option to leave care but is not legally obliged to. However, once they reach 18 the young person is seen as an adult and most of their support is stripped away. Most will then move out of their foster or care home and find their own accommodation.

Think about what you were doing at 18 and the support systems you had available to you. Care leavers, by contrast, are often expected to manage housing, employment, and finances with little preparation or support. It is easy to see how this can lead to feelings of abandonment, panic and despondence.

Although “Pathway Plans” are designed to help with this transition, they are frequently challenging and subsequently fail to be applied. Some young people report limited involvement in their planning process or inadequate follow-up from their Personal Adviser (PA), leaving them woefully underprepared for adult responsibilities.

2 - Housing Instability and Homelessness

Finding and maintaining suitable accommodation is one of the most pressing and significant challenges for a new care leaver. Once they leave care, many young people struggle to secure stable housing. Some local authorities offer “Staying Put” arrangements, where a young person can remain with foster carers until 21, but access varies widely between regions.

As a result, a hugely disproportionate number of care leavers face housing instability or homelessness. In 2021, the National Audit Office released a report that suggested that, within the first two years of leaving care, one third of care leavers become homeless. The same report found that, in 2010, 25% of the homeless population in England had been in care at some point in their lives. Inadequate housing not only affects safety but also mental health, employment prospects and overall wellbeing.

3 - Financial Hardship and Economic Insecurity

Financial insecurity is another major issue. Care leavers often have limited financial literacy and few savings. While local authorities provide a “Setting Up Home Allowance” and may help with maintenance until age 18, many young people find this support insufficient.

Navigating benefits such as Universal Credit can be complex and stressful, and delays or administrative errors can leave care leavers without income for weeks. Without family safety nets, many fall into debt or poverty quickly. The result is a vicious cycle where financial pressure exacerbates housing and mental health challenges.

4 - Gaps in Emotional and Mental Health Support

It is hard to underestimate the feelings of isolation, anxiety, and abandonment that leaving care can create, particularly for young people who have already experienced trauma or instability. Once formal care ends, access to mental health services often diminishes just when it’s most needed.

Although Personal Advisers are meant to provide emotional and practical guidance up to age 25, the system is incredibly stretched and many leavers report inconsistent contact or limited availability – there simply aren’t enough PAs to go around. The lack of consistent, trauma-informed mental health support leaves some young people feeling disconnected and unsupported.

5 - Barriers in Education, Employment, and Training

Care leavers face significant barriers in education and employment. Frequent placement moves during childhood often lead to disrupted schooling and lower attainment, which impacts future opportunities. In 2017, a report from the Prince’s Trust found that, of the care leavers surveyed, 87% had fewer than five GCSEs at grade A* to C, compared to around eight for most students.

While there are bursaries and priority university places for care-experienced students, many struggle to sustain their studies due to financial pressures or emotional stress. For example, in 2020, there were 31,260 care leavers aged 19-21 in England. Only 6% of them were reported to be in higher education, compared to the national figure of 32%.

Employers may also lack understanding of care experience, limiting opportunities for stable employment. As a result, care leavers are far more likely to be unemployed or in low-paid, insecure work than their peers. The report from the Prince’s Trust in 2017 found that 78% of care leavers surveyed were not in any form of education, employment, training of volunteering. In 2020, only 26% of care leavers aged 19-21 in England were in training or employment.

6 - Inconsistent Local Authority Support

The “postcode lottery” effect means that a care leaver’s experience can depend heavily on where they live. Some local authorities provide excellent, proactive support through strong leaving-care teams, while others struggle due to underfunding and high caseloads.

This inconsistency undermines the national commitment to equal opportunity for all care leavers. The quality of accommodation, amount of financial support and access to education schemes can vary significantly from one council to another.

7 - Stigma and Lack of Understanding

Another issue is the stigma surrounding care experience. Many young people report being treated differently by landlords, employers or educational institutions once they disclose their background. This stigma can reinforce feelings of exclusion and make it harder to form stable relationships or access fair opportunities.

The broader public often lacks awareness of the systemic barriers care leavers face, which perpetuates misconceptions about independence and resilience. It simply isn’t something most people think about.

8 - Policy Gaps and Calls for Reform

While legislation such as the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000 and Children and Social Work Act 2017 strengthened statutory duties, implementation remains inconsistent. Advocacy groups continue to push for reforms including:

• Extending the “Staying Put” scheme universally to age 25
• Guaranteeing affordable, stable housing for all care leavers
• Improving access to mental health and wellbeing services
• Ensuring adequate training for Personal Advisers and social workers

The Care Leaver Covenant, launched in 2018, encourages organisations to support care leavers with job opportunities and mentoring. However, participation is voluntary, limiting its impact nationwide.

9 - Conclusion

The process of leaving care in the UK is fraught with structural and emotional challenges. Despite positive policy intentions, many care leavers still face homelessness, poverty, isolation, and systemic neglect. Addressing these issues requires more than legislation—it demands consistent funding, empathy, and long-term commitment across every level of government and society.

A successful transition from care to independence should not depend on luck or location, but on a shared national responsibility to ensure that every young person has the stability, support, and dignity they deserve.

10 - How can you help?

Here at Goal 17, we’re striving to offer something truly valuable to these young people – a supportive adult in their lives who has chosen to be there. Not because it is their job, not because they know the young person already, simply because they want to help someone. To a young care leaver who feels like everyone they know is there out of obligation, this can make a life-changing difference.

If you’re interested in supporting a young care leaver through this difficult time, please click here and sign up as a volunteer. You’ll be part of a national community of volunteers with access to free training and support across the entire process. Alternatively, you can sign up to our newsletter here for a variety of information on other ways to help young care leavers. Together, we can ease the burdens these poor young people face!