CLA welcomes the Children, Schools and Families Report into Looked After Children

The Care Leavers’ Association welcomes the conclusions contained in the House of Commons Children, Schools and Families Committee report into looked after children, released on 20th April 2009.

In particular, the description of the ‘postcode lottery’ of care that looked after children and young people experience reflects messages that we have been receiving over a number of years about recent government reforms.

Will McMahon Chair said:

‘Whilst the government has presented a focus on outcomes for looked after children this report indicates all that has been achieved is to reorganise the management of a service that has continued to deliver poor outcomes.’

He continued:

‘In particular we welcome the committee’s recommendation on the need to address poor outcomes with regard to education, the trafficking of unaccompanied asylum seeking children in care and the disproportionately high number of young people from care who end up in the criminal justice system. We also agree that a national registration scheme for foster carers is needed to ensure that de-registered foster carers are not able to ‘agency hop’. We would add that following the recent Kendall House drug scandal a national review should be held into the prescribing of drugs for looked after children and young people.’

Among other recommendations that we would support are:

The extension of the personal advisor role to all young people leaving care to the age of 25
Nationally agreed standards for care leavers’ accommodation so that care leavers do not end up in the worst accommodation in the worst part of town
The view that remaining in care in some form until at least age 21 should become routine but would argue that, as with other children and young people, this ‘corporate parental’ responsibility should be extended to 25.

For more information contact: 0161 236 1980