Still our children
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Seven organisations, Barnardo's, The Care Leavers Association, Catch22, the Fostering Network, TACT, Voice and The Who Cares? Trust - are calling on the Government to reform the system in a new briefing, "Still Our Children", published today.
Many young people in care will have experienced difficult and often traumatic childhoods and many of them will have been abused or neglected. At the age of 21 years the relationship between the young person and the state often ends abruptly, which can lead to poor outcomes for care leavers.
The coalition call comes as the Queen's Speech marks the opening of a new Parliament and the Government sets out its plans for the next term. The Children and Families Bill - in which care leavers are not mentioned at all - is reaching a crucial stage as it makes its way through the House of Commons.