Children who have been in care are statistically one of the lowest groups of young people in terms of their educational attainment. According to The Rees Centre which conducts research into the fostering and education of young people, those transitioning from care also have poorer employment and health prospects than the general population and are more likely to enter the prison system or become homeless.

Most people, in my opinion, are not aware of the disadvantages of entering what is meant to be a safety net for the most vulnerable youngsters in the UK. This safety net is in fact a leash tugging back these boys and girls, many of whom could be high achievers given the chance to succeed and provided with the correct resources to take advantage of.

In reality those of us that are put into care whether it by our own choice or enforced by others are currently subjected to demeaning opportunities that take away our potential and leave a high proportion of us begging for money outside a tube station. Now I am not meaning to be stereotypical, in fact I am far from it, I just wish for those reading this to awaken from their sheltered lives and pass on the word that a proportion of our unemployed, homeless and prison population could have been saved from such an outcome if the UK care system provided the consistency and support that young people require on a daily basis in order to achieve their best.

Please post below your opinions and don’t feel afraid to challenge what I have said. By sharing this post through social media we can start a process of having a proper discussion about the care system and the opportunities denied to those within it.