How to Fix Children’s Social Care and Restore Care Leavers’ Life Chances
Posted on:
Every year, thousands of children in the UK enter the care system. They are placed in foster families, children’s homes, or supported accommodation because their families cannot look after them safely. For many, it’s the start of a journey marked by trauma and instability.
But the real crisis comes later. At 18, care leavers are expected to navigate adulthood almost overnight—without the safety net most young people rely on. The result? Far too many end up homeless, unemployed, or in contact with the criminal justice system.
This is not inevitable. With the right support, care leavers can thrive. Here’s how we fix children’s social care and restore life chances.
The Challenges Care Leavers Face
- The care cliff at 18
Unlike most teenagers, who still lean on parents well into their twenties, care leavers often lose support as soon as they turn 18. - Housing insecurity
Many find themselves in unstable or unsafe accommodation. Too many slip through the net and end up sofa-surfing or on the streets. - Education and work barriers
Care leavers are less likely to go to university or secure stable jobs. Without networks or guidance, doors remain closed. - Stigma and low expectations
Society often writes them off before they’ve even had a chance.
What Needs to Change
- Support beyond 18
No young person should face a cliff edge at 18. Ongoing help should extend to at least 25, with flexibility to return for guidance. - Stable, trusted relationships
Every child deserves someone who sticks with them. Long-term mentors and consistent key workers can be life-changing. - Safe housing guaranteed
Local authorities must ensure every care leaver has access to secure, affordable accommodation—with wraparound support when needed. - Investment in skills and opportunity
Raise expectations, don’t lower them. Schools, training providers, and employers should open doors, not close them. Enterprise schemes—like our own We Shine Any Car—show that care leavers can build futures when given real chances. - Lived experience at the heart
Young people who’ve been through care know what works. Their voices must shape policy and practice.
Restoring Life Chances
Fixing children’s social care isn’t just about patching cracks in the system. It’s about giving young people what we’d want for our own children: safety, belonging, and opportunity.
At Genuine Futures, we see this every day. Many of us have lived the same struggles—care, homelessness, even prison—and turned them into purpose. When society believes in young people, their potential is limitless.
Restoring life chances means shifting mindsets:
- From managing risk → to nurturing potential.
- From writing people off → to investing in futures.
- From abandoning → to standing alongside.
If we get this right, we won’t just reduce homelessness or reoffending—we’ll unlock the talents of a generation too often forgotten.
Care leavers don’t need pity. They need an opportunity. They don’t need systems that give up on them. They need a society that refuses to.
At Genuine Futures, we’re building that future. If you’d like to mentor, partner, or support, get in touch and help us restore life chances for care leavers.