We must do more to save care leavers’ lives | Letters

Readers respond to a report on the tragic consequences of the ‘care cliff’, when vital support is taken away at age 18 Your article draws attention to a landmark review that describes the “care cliff” for young people leaving care at 18 leading to tragic outcomes ( ‘He was left on his own’: the care-leaver lives lost to a system that abandons them at 18, 25 August ).

The good news is that there are ways to fix this problem, but they are neither quick nor straightforward.

My own research found that first and foremost the responsible local authority requires sufficient funding, staffing and planning to assess and implement care options when a child is taken into care.

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