Young People Leaving Care: Life After the Children Act 1989

What happens to young people when they leave care? Young care leavers are very over-represented in all the problem social policy areas (for example in the homelessness, young offenders institutions, begging and poverty statistics). Although there has been some progress in assisting care leavers with their transition to independence, the problems they present and face remain acute. This book contains extensive practice information, original research material and policy findings about young people leaving public care and the work of leaving care projects. It contains data on the circumstances of over 3000 young people leaving care, as well as the work of the leaving care projects across England and Wales which participated in the research, and provides an extensive analysis of national and local developments and the impact of the Children Act 1989. Each chapter contains good practice and policy examples, and the book concludes with a critical analysis of key practice, policy, and theoretical issues and discussion of ways of moving forward.