We recognise the crucial importance of looked-after children and young people, as well as care leavers, receiving the right level of support to be successful in all stages of their education. Looked-after children can have more difficult transitions into post-16 education, take longer to progress, and often study lower-level qualifications compared to their non-looked-after peers. They are around six times more likely than average to not be in education or employment at any point between the ages of 16–24, and over three times more likely to be on out-of-work benefits. For this reason, in October 2021 the department launched a £3 million pilot in 30 local authorities to test proof of concept of extending Pupil Premium Plus style funding support to looked-after children and care leavers in further education. The department agrees that funding should be used to deliver specific, evidence-based interventions such as employing additional staff in FE colleges and training for FE leads and tutors to improve progress and outcomes, and the pilot has been testing this approach. The department has commissioned the Rees Centre at Oxford University to evaluate the pilot and their report will be published shortly. The evaluation will provide insights to inform how best to take forward. We will provide further details about the continuation of the funding in the autumn. However, whilst current guidance and legislation does provide support for care leavers up to age 25 (including those with SEND), we have noted the Committee’s recommendations and will give them purposeful consideration as part of the department’s work to respond to the care review’s recommendation for VSHs to be held accountable for educational attainment for looked-after children and care leavers up to age 25 through Ofsted’s ILACS framework. The government’s view is that 25 is a reasonable point of transition and that targeting support on care leavers aged 18–24 to help them as they move to independent living is the best use of resources. We have recently announced funding of £36 million over the next 3 years to extend the Staying Close programme so that more care leavers leaving children’s homes get move-on accommodation and support from a trusted adult–providing stability and a safety net into adulthood. The care review recommended that Staying Close should be a legal entitlement up to the age of 23 with an ‘opt-out’ rather than ‘opt-in’ expectation. The government will respond to this, and the other recommendations for care experienced young people, including those around improving access to apprenticeships and well-paid jobs, in the comprehensive implementation strategy.