Chance to stay
The average age for leaving home in the UK is 24, yet vulnerable young people in care are often expected to live independently and leave care at 16, 17 or 18
Children and young people enter the care system for many reasons, but most will have experienced great distress and upheaval in their childhood. For these reasons many young people in care are less equipped to deal with independence than their peers, even though they are expected to be ready to live independently earlier.
In Wales, we had an urgent opportunity to make sure young people have the chance to stay with foster carers until they are 21. Thanks to our supporters, we made this important change to the law.
The Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 now says clearly that young people in Wales are able to stay with their foster carers until they are 21, if that is what they both want.
