Care leaver transition to adult services
High number of deaths among care leavers highlighting poor transition coordination from children's social care to adult services.
326 items
9 sources
2 inquiries
Strongest theme matches
Mixed across source types and ranked by classifier confidence plus text match strength.
Committee recommendation
100match
#52 - Develop a National Care Offer and transition strategy for care leavers entering further education.
As set out in our Children’s Social Care report, the Department for Education must develop a National Care Offer to harmonise the postcode lottery in entitlements and ensure that care leavers receive a minimum level of support, wherever they live. The Department for Education must also develop a strategy to support all those with care experience as they...
Matched on
terms: care, leaver, transition
Committee recommendation
100match
#9 - High number of care leaver deaths highlights poor transition coordination to adult services.
We asked the Department and other witnesses about the circumstances surrounding a young person recently taking their own life after turning 18 and facing the uncertainty of moving out of the children’s social care system. A situation which the Chief Social worker for children and families agreed was shocking.16 Sky News analysis found that 91 care leavers aged...
Matched on
terms: adult, care, leaver, service
Committee recommendation
95match
#51 - Care leavers face significant challenges transitioning into further education, employment or training.
Care leavers face significant challenges transitioning into further education, employment or training. Care leavers aged 19–21 are three times more likely not to be in education, employment or training than their peers. There is insufficient support for those transitioning into further education or training. There is also a lack of official data on post-16 education pathways, attainment and...
Matched on
terms: care, leaver, transition
Committee recommendation
93match
#11 - Eighth Report - Children and young people’s mental health
It is clear that young adults between the ages of 18 and 25 face some of the widest gaps between the support that they need and the support that is available to them. 56 Children and young people’s mental health We welcome NHS England & Improvement’s commitment to shift away from the current model of care towards one...
Matched on
terms: adult, care, service, transition
Committee recommendation
91match
#72 - Care leavers face poorest outcomes due to insufficient support and limited Bill measures.
Care leavers have some of the poorest outcomes in society across a range of measures, and the support available to them falls far short of what is needed. The state has a grave responsibility to the children it takes 93 into its care, and these outcomes are simply not good enough. We were disappointed at the limited range...
Matched on
terms: care, leaver
Inquiry recommendation
90match
SP49 - Audit of Young Adults Team transition assessments
Lancashire County Council, with the Care Quality Commission, should commission an independent audit of the Young Adults Team to ensure assessments for transition to adult care are timely, properly reasoned and take full account of the individual’s history. This should report by 13 October 2026.
Matched on
terms: adult, care, transition
Committee recommendation
90match
#78 - Shortage of appropriate safe housing for trafficking victims, especially vulnerable children transitioning to adulthood.
There is a shortage of appropriate safe housing for victims of human trafficking whilst they are within the Modern Slavery Victim Care Contract. Accommodation provision varies significantly for children after referral to the National Referral Mechanism, and children are particularly vulnerable to having no access to specialist safe accommodation after they turn 18 years old.
Matched on
terms: adult, care, transition
PFD report
89match
Jake Baker
Surrey County Council has failed to address inadequate pathway plans, opaque diagnostic processes, and poor access to adult social care for care leavers. Deficiencies in risk assessment standards and non-mandatory Mental Capacity Act training persist.
Matched on
terms: adult, care, leaver
Inquiry recommendation
87match
WATE-(38) - Extend local authority duty to provide parental-level support for care leavers
The duty upon local authorities under section 24(1) of the Children Act 1989 to advise, assist and befriend a child with a view to promoting his welfare when he ceases to be looked after by them should be extended so as to ensure that placing authorities provide the level of support to be expected of good parents, including...
Matched on
terms: care, leaver
Committee recommendation
85match
#12 - Eighth Report - Children and young people’s mental health
NHS England & Improvement must accelerate the implementation of the 0–25 offer in every local area as a national priority so that young people do not continue to face a cliff edge in accessing the care they require as they transition from children to adult services.
Matched on
terms: adult, care, service, transition
LGO / SPSO decision
85match
23-017-457 - Hertfordshire County Council
Summary: Mrs X complains about how the Council planned care for her son, Mr K. The Council took too long to start planning Mr K’s transition from children’s services to adult social care. Despite its best efforts, the Council failed to provide overnight respite care and has not fully supported Mr K’s mother to arrange this and use...
Matched on
terms: adult, care, service, transition
LGO / SPSO decision
85match
24-004-827 - London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham
Ms D complained the Council failed to carry out an occupational therapy assessment when her son, Mr J, transferred from children’s to adult’s social care services. We have found the Council significantly delayed completing an occupational therapy assessment. This delay caused Ms D avoidable frustration, uncertainty and distress. It affected the housing priority afforded to the household, creating...
Matched on
terms: adult, care, service
Committee recommendation
83match
#6 - Care leavers experience a confusing patchwork of differing local authority entitlements.
Care leavers face a confusing patchwork of entitlements when they leave care. This is made more complex by the differing offers in each local authority and the fact that they are having to navigate this at a young age, often with little or no support. Our witnesses supported the view that a National Care Offer would help with...
Matched on
terms: care, leaver
Committee recommendation
83match
#77 - Exempt care leavers from proposed Universal Credit reductions and prioritise Youth Guarantee access.
The Department for Work and Pensions must exempt care leavers from its proposed plans to reduce Universal Credit support for those aged under 22, if these reforms go ahead, and ensure that care leavers are prioritised for access to support through the Youth Guarantee. (Recommendation, Paragraph 196)
Matched on
terms: care, leaver
Committee recommendation
83match
#76 - Improve financial and housing support for care leavers, including Universal Credit and bursaries.
The Department for Education should work with other relevant departments, including the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Department for Work and Pensions, to review the financial and housing support available to care leavers and improve it where needed to ensure that care leavers are not left to struggle financially after turning 18. This should...
Matched on
terms: care, leaver
Committee recommendation
83match
#75 - Develop a National Care Offer ensuring minimum, harmonised support for care leavers nationwide.
As a priority, the Department for Education must develop a National Care Offer to harmonise the postcode lottery in entitlements and ensure that care leavers receive a minimum level of support, wherever they live. (Recommendation, Paragraph 194)
Matched on
terms: care, leaver
Committee recommendation
83match
#74 - Proposed Universal Credit reductions for under-22s will disproportionately impact care leavers.
We welcome the new Youth Guarantee and the focus on supporting young people to access employment, education and training. However, we are deeply concerned about the proposal to reduce support through Universal Credit for those aged under 22. This is likely to have a disproportionate impact on care leavers, who already face significant financial hardship. (Conclusion, Paragraph 193)
Matched on
terms: care, leaver
Committee recommendation
83match
#73 - Care leavers face unacceptable financial hardship compromising their education upon turning 18.
It is unacceptable that young people are left to support themselves financially on turning 18 while still in full-time education and face having to reduce time spent in education or drop out completely to support themselves. No responsible parent would allow this and the state in its role as parent should be no different. All care leavers deserve...
Matched on
terms: care, leaver
LGO / SPSO decision
81match
24-016-539 - Norfolk County Council
Summary: Ms D complains the Council failed to provide suitable support to her and safeguard her. The Council is at fault for failing to make proper transition arrangements for Ms D, to consider safeguarding alerts and for failing to complete carers’ assessments. This has caused uncertainty about whether Ms D and her family would have had services earlier...
Matched on
terms: care, service, transition
LGO / SPSO decision
81match
24-021-187 - Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council
Summary: Miss X complained about the Council’s failure to secure part of the provision set out in her child’s Education, Health and Care Plan, which she said adversely impacted her child’s transition to adulthood. We found the Council at fault in not securing the provision. To put right the injustice arising from its fault the Council agreed to...
Matched on
terms: adult, care, transition
LGO / SPSO decision
80match
21-007-240 - Cornwall Council
Summary: Mr D complained the Council failed to properly support his grandson when he transitioned from children’s services to adult care services. He also says the Council failed to give him information about his grandson’s wellbeing. We find the Council delayed assessing Mr D’s grandson. It also should have done more to explore what information it could share...
Matched on
terms: adult, care, service, transition
LGO / SPSO decision
80match
21-012-774 - Buckinghamshire Council
Summary: Miss X complained the Council failed to appropriately plan for her transition from children to adult care services, and to support her to stay with her foster family until she was 25 on a staying put arrangement it had previously agreed. There was fault in the way the Council considered a staying put arrangement for Miss X....
Matched on
terms: adult, care, service, transition
LGO / SPSO decision
80match
22-005-749 - Nottinghamshire County Council
Summary: There is no fault by the Council in relation to its planning for the complainant’s son’s transition from children’s to adult social care. Whilst only limited services have been provided since the complainant’s son became 18, there is no fault by the Council as it offered suitable provision that the complainant would not accept until recently.
Matched on
terms: adult, care, service, transition
LGO / SPSO decision
80match
23-015-297 - Torbay Council
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about transition planning into Adult Services. The Council has investigated the complaint under the Children’s Statutory Complaint Procedure and upheld most of the complaint. Further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.
Matched on
terms: adult, care, service, transition
LGO / SPSO decision
80match
23-001-435 - Devon County Council
Miss B complained on behalf of her son, Mr C, that the Council failed to ensure an effective transition of social work services when he turned 18. In particular, that he had to leave a children’s home placement and move to a supported living placement 30 miles away. This left him further from his family and place of...
Matched on
terms: care, service, transition
LGO / SPSO decision
80match
24-020-730 - London Borough of Croydon
Summary: Mr X complained the Council delayed providing his son with respite care when he transitioned from children to adult services. We find the Council was at fault for the delay in securing suitable respite care for Mr X’s son. This caused distress and upset, and Mr X’s son lost out on care he was entitled to. The...
Matched on
terms: adult, care, service, transition
LGO / SPSO decision
80match
23-018-546 - London Borough of Haringey
Mr and Mrs X complain about delay by the Council in carrying out an assessment for the transition of Mr Y from children to adult care services.
Matched on
terms: adult, care, service, transition
LGO / SPSO decision
80match
201904147 - Aberdeenshire Council
C was on a Compulsory Supervision Order (CSO) and in the care of their grandparents. When C became a care leaver, C complained to the council that they failed to provide the appropriate Throughcare and Aftercare. C said that the council wrongly advised that C was not entitled to any financial support and that they failed to implement...
Matched on
terms: care, leaver, service
Committee recommendation
80match
#49 - Second Report - Educational poverty: how children in residential care have been let down and what...
The Government must expand existing the existing Civil Service care leaver internship scheme and other employment schemes, increasing the number of places so that more care leavers can take advantage of, and benefit from, these opportunities.
Matched on
terms: care, leaver, service
LGO / SPSO decision
80match
21-011-789 - City of York Council
Summary: Mr and Mrs X complained the Council poorly managed their child, Y’s, transition from children’s services to adult services as a care leaver. They say this caused them and Y distress and affected Y’s health. They also say the Council handled their complaint poorly. The Council is at fault. There were faults during the transition planning process...
Matched on
terms: adult, care, leaver, service
PFD report
77match
John Jaundoo
Probation failed to appropriately place high-risk offenders and maintain dynamic risk assessments, while Adult Social Services lacked oversight, leading to unsuitable placements and missed public protection opportunities.
Matched on
terms: adult, service
LGO / SPSO decision
76match
21-011-122 - Manchester City Council
Summary: Miss F complains the Council delayed planning her son’s transition to adult services. There was fault as the Council should have sought alternative respite providers sooner. The Council has agreed to make a payment to Miss F to acknowledge the impact the loss of respite for three months has had on her mental health.
Matched on
terms: adult, care, service, transition
LGO / SPSO decision
76match
21-017-132 - Cambridgeshire County Council
Summary: Mr B complains on behalf of his adult son, Mr F, about the way the Council managed his transition to adult social care and that it failed to provide him with care and support from July to September 2021. We have found fault which has caused injustice to Mr B. The Council has agreed to apologise and...
Matched on
terms: adult, care, transition
Committee recommendation
76match
#54 - Second Report - Educational poverty: how children in residential care have been let down and what...
The Minister for Children and Families agrees that the Staying Close pilot has produced “very, very good evidence”. Without further delay, the Department must roll out Staying Close nationally as a statutory entitlement. Care leavers must have the right to opt-out of participating in Staying Close if they wish. Ahead of leaving residential care, each young person should...
Matched on
terms: adult, care, leaver
Committee recommendation
76match
#53 - Second Report - Educational poverty: how children in residential care have been let down and what...
The current lack of statutory support for young people leaving residential care is deeply unjust. The Department’s own evidence rightly acknowledges the “cliff- edge” transition from residential care to independent living at age 18. Staying Close offers a chance to fix this and the pilot has shown promising results including 75% reduction in eviction rates, 50% reduction in...
Matched on
terms: care, leaver, transition
LGO / SPSO decision
76match
21-014-948 - London Borough of Newham
Summary: There was fault by the Council because it did not properly plan Miss K’s transition from Children to Adult Services and how it would arrange and fund her care. There was also fault in its complaint handling as it failed to refer Miss K’s complaint to a stage three review panel in accordance with the statutory complaints...
Matched on
terms: adult, care, service, transition
LGO / SPSO decision
76match
24-015-863 - London Borough of Croydon
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council dealt with Ms Y’s transition from children’s to adult services. This is because the complaint is late and there is no good reason for us to investigate now.
Matched on
terms: adult, care, service, transition
LGO / SPSO decision
76match
23-013-847 - London Borough of Haringey
Summary: Mr X complained the Council stopped his son Mr Y’s direct payment and did not manage the transition from childrens to adult social care adequately. We upheld the complaint. The Council did not deal with the transition in line with the Children Act 1989 or Care Act 2014. This meant Mr Y missed out on care and...
Matched on
terms: adult, care, service, transition
PFD report
73match
Caroline and Bernard Cleall
Adult Social Care's inability to access NHS hospital discharge assessment records for telecare prevents proper review of client needs, risking inadequate support and missed opportunities to revise safety packages.
Matched on
terms: adult, care
LGO / SPSO decision
73match
24-003-485 - Somerset Council
Summary: Ms X complained about the Council’s actions when she moved from children’s to adult’s social care. The Council failed to investigate Ms X’s complaint under the children’s statutory complaints procedure. This fault has caused avoidable frustration to Ms X. In recognition of this, the Council has agreed to apologise, pay Ms X £200 and investigate her complaint...
Matched on
terms: adult, care
Committee recommendation
72match
#23 - Thirty-Seventh Report - Support for vulnerable adolescents
The poor outcomes experienced by vulnerable adolescents are often overlapping. For example, we received written evidence highlighting research which shows people who have been in care are more likely to experience homelessness, long-term physical and 53 Q 39 54 C&AG’s Report, para 1.19 55 Q 44; HMI Probation, A thematic inspection of the experiences of black and mixed...
Matched on
terms: care, leaver
LGO / SPSO decision
69match
23-014-163 - London Borough of Merton
Summary: Mrs Q complains the Council delayed referring her daughter for an Adult Social Care assessment, in the time before her 18th birthday. And when it did make the referral it did not tell them and delayed responding to her contacts. We uphold the complaint. The Council has agreed to our recommendations.
Matched on
terms: adult, care
IMB recommendation
68match
Wetherby (2025)
What steps will the Youth Custody Service take to reduce delays and ensure a smooth, timely transition for young people moving from youth custody to the adult estate?
Matched on
terms: adult, service, transition
IMB annual report
67match
Holme House (2022)
HMP Holme House demonstrated significant improvements in 2022, effectively recovering from Covid-19 disruptions and enhancing safety, healthcare, and resettlement services. While the prison maintained a safe and humane environment, key challenges included slow estate maintenance, deterioration in food quality, and the disproportionate impact of a growing young adult population on violence and self-harm. The IMB also highlighted issues...
Matched on
terms: adult, care, service
IMB recommendation
67match
Cookham Wood (2020)
The YCS should provide additional care plus end-to-end sentence planning and support for long-sentence boys - with regard to whether young adult institutions (specifically, Aylesbury, Deerbolt and Swinfen Hall) have the capacity to accept an increasing number of 18-year-olds transitioning from juvenile YOIs What steps will be taken to arrange transfers to the adult estate for young adults...
Matched on
terms: adult, care, transition
Inquiry recommendation
66match
WATE-(37) - Prepare and periodically review leaving care plans for all looked after children
A leaving care plan should be prepared for each looked after child, in consultation with that child, a year in advance of the event and should be reviewed periodically thereafter until the child ceases to require or be eligible for further support.
Matched on
terms: care
PFD report
65match
Marshall Metcalfe and Jane Ireland
Children's Social Care disengages during mental health admissions, leading to a lack of social worker input in discharge planning and continuity of care, which increases patient risk upon leaving the facility.
Matched on
terms: care
Committee recommendation
65match
#28 - Fourth Report - The Benefits System in Wales
Care-leavers are a vulnerable group and there is a strong case for arguing that they should have enhanced support. While the Welsh Government supports a basic income pilot for this group, we note that the UK government opposes universal basic income.
Matched on
terms: care, leaver
LGO / SPSO decision
64match
20-012-417 - Staffordshire County Council
Miss C complained about the care and support she received from the Council as a child. Miss C says because of the Council’s fault she did not receive proper support and missed out on a care leavers grant.
Matched on
terms: care, leaver
LGO / SPSO decision
64match
23-020-425 - Milton Keynes Council
Summary: Mrs X complained about the Council’s failure to provide respite care for her disabled child. We found the Council to be at fault because it failed to properly consider the issue. There was also fault with the Council’s complaint handling. To remedy the distress and uncertainty caused by its faults, the Council has agreed to apologise, make...
Matched on
terms: care, service