Care Matters
Care Matters: Transforming the Lives of Children and Young People in Care is the Department for Children Schools and Families’ (DCSF) Green Paper on children and young people in care launched for consultation in October 2006. It sets out a package of proposals aimed at transforming the lives of children and young people in care and ‘on the edge’ of being in care. Although outcomes for children in care have improved in recent years, they have not kept pace with other children – for example, only 11% of young people in care achieved five GCSEs in 2005 compared to 56% of other young people. In relation to longer term outcomes, young people leaving care are overrepresented in other vulnerable groups such as those not in education, employment or training (NEET) post 16, teen parents, young offenders, drug users and prisoners. The Green Paper set out policies for consultation, to ensure earlier interventions and support for families where children are on the edge of care. It includes proposals to strengthen the ‘corporate parenting’ role of local authorities; create high quality placements which meet children’s needs; ensure a first class education; a positive life outside school; and support for transition into adulthood. Care Matters: Consultation Responses was published in April 2007, and a White Paper setting out the DCSF’s next steps, taking into account the results of the consultation, will be published later this year. Useful Links
The Care Matters index page provides access to all documents relating to the consultation, including a young people’s version >> Care Matters website |