Care leavers face ‘catastrophic consequences’ from isolation after 18, review finds

*Content warning: This article discusses suicide, self-harm, death. We recognise that these issues may affect people personally or professionally.

Care leavers in England are three to four times more likely to die between the ages of 18 and 24 than other young people of the same age, according to a government-commissioned review which has warned that profound isolation and a sharp drop in support after 18 can have devastating consequences.

The review, ‘You really are on your own’: A study of the early deaths of young people who were in care, was led by care-experienced author and broadcaster Ashley John-Baptiste and social work leader Clare Chamberlain. It examined all 112 deaths of care leavers aged 18 to 24 notified to the Department for Education during 2025.

One fifth of the deaths occurred when young people were aged 18, while the review identified three key themes: being alone and readiness for adulthood, the drop in levels of support, and the workforce supporting young people through the transition to adulthood.

The Government has responded by announcing £25 million this year to expand its Staying Close programme, with a focus on housing models that provide young people with both accommodation and ongoing connection and support.

“Every one of these young lives mattered, and behind each of them lies a story of enormous loss – for their families, for their friends, and for the people who cared for them," Children’s Minister Josh MacAlister said.

“We owe it to these young people, and to every care experienced person, to change care so that we make enduring relationships the central obsession of the care system. Care must build and not break the relationships that young people need, and this must be the new north star.

“I am incredibly grateful to Ashley and Clare for their work on this review. The tragic stories they have captured must galvanise us to make sure that no one leaving care is left isolated and alone. This will be a whole society effort, so I urge everyone to play their part.”

The review explores the circumstances surrounding the deaths of six young people in greater detail, with their stories illustrating recurring patterns around loneliness, disrupted support, mental health, physical health, housing, criminal justice and relationships.

The authors stress that the individual circumstances of those who died were different, but found common themes in the experiences of young people who had been in care.

One of the young people featured in the report, Kieron, entered care at 15 because of concerns about extra-familial harm but remained closely connected to his family. He had experienced periods of psychosis and received support from mental health services, while also maintaining aspirations to work and following his father into the delivery business.

He was murdered at the age of 20 after an argument about a girl. His death was described as a complete shock to his family and the professionals who knew him, who could not identify anything that could have been done differently to prevent the incident.

However, Kieron’s mother believed he had not developed the life skills needed to live independently or semi-independently at 18. She also raised concerns about a lack of consistency among social workers and other social care professionals.

The report records that professionals struggled to maintain contact with Kieron after he turned 18. He was not having much contact with the leaving care service, although he continued to see a support worker at his accommodation.

The experience also had a profound impact on the professionals who had worked with him. One worker said it took 15 months to complete Kieron’s closure summary and that he would have benefited from a process through which staff could reflect and learn from his death.

The case highlights the report’s concerns about continuity of relationships and the transition from children’s to adult services, particularly when young people have complex needs.

Become, the charity for care-experienced young people, has similarly warned about the consequences of the “care cliff” and gaps in support after young people reach adulthood.

Anela Anwar, Chief Executive of Become, said:

“When leaving care can lead to the loss of a young person’s life, it’s beyond tragic. It shows why we urgently need to end the care cliff and fix the care system that is failing young people.

“Care leavers tell us there’s no-one holding the full picture of their lives, leading to gaps in support and missed warning signs. We welcome the Government’s focus on relationships and the workforce. Our new research shows Personal Advisers can make a huge difference to the lives of care leavers, but their role is not well understood or supported. Investing in Personal Advisers will be key to ensuring care leavers get the stability they need.”

The review found that young people often experience a significant reduction in support when they turn 18, despite the fact that many are still developing the skills, relationships and emotional resilience required for adulthood.

It argues that independence should not be treated simply as having accommodation without support, with some young people reporting that they wanted their own home but subsequently experiencing profound loneliness.

The authors call for a greater focus on preparing young people for adulthood based on individual need rather than age, alongside more consistent support and stronger relationships with professionals.

Clare Chamberlain said:

“This review has reinforced what care leavers have told us for years: the state is no substitute for family. We need to do more to prevent the acute loneliness that the most vulnerable experience after leaving care”

The report also highlights the importance of the workforce supporting care leavers, finding variation in the knowledge, skills and practice of Personal Advisers and other professionals.

It argues that supporting a young person through the transition to adulthood requires more than helping them secure accommodation or access financial support. Practitioners need to understand young people’s histories, relationships, identities, mental health and aspirations, while maintaining trusted relationships over time.

The review identifies five broad areas for change: the workforce supporting care leavers; support and awareness for care-experienced young people in custody; supported accommodation; health services for young people with medical conditions; and learning following the death of a young person.

Several of the case studies illustrate the consequences of gaps between services.

In one case, a young person with a significant medical condition died after support from specialist health and leaving-care professionals ended or changed following the transition into adulthood. The review raises concerns about whether vulnerable young people can be left without anyone holding responsibility for the whole picture of their lives.

Another case examined a young person who entered an adult prison shortly after turning 18. Despite vulnerabilities including previous experiences of self-harm, information about his circumstances as a care leaver was not adequately transferred to the adult prison system. He died in custody around two weeks after entering prison.

The report also examines the experiences of young women who had been in care and subsequently had their own children removed from their care. One of the women featured, Janey, took her own life at the age of 24 while care proceedings involving her three children were nearing their conclusion.

The authors argue that these cases demonstrate the need for stronger support for care-experienced parents, including support to help them retain relationships with their children where it is safe to do so and appropriate support when children are removed.

The review recommends that care-experienced young people should have access to housing that provides both stability and connection. In response, the Government says the £25 million investment will expand Staying Close nationally, supporting housing models similar to Shared Lives Plus, The House Project and Supported Lodgings.

The aim is to increase access to accommodation where young people can build relationships and remain connected to a community, rather than moving into inappropriate or isolated accommodation.

The Government is also introducing wider corporate parenting responsibilities through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act, meaning organisations including the NHS, jobcentres, prisons and probation services will have greater responsibilities towards care leavers.

From 30 September, councils will also be required to publish how they will support care leavers into independent living, while a care leaver will no longer be able to be found intentionally homeless.

The review concludes that the deaths it examined cannot be attributed to a single cause and that many could not necessarily have been predicted or prevented. However, it argues that the recurring patterns provide important lessons for how services support young people after they leave care.

“As a care experienced broadcaster, I’ve been privileged to cover many aspects of the care system. That said, nothing could have prepared me for the devastating stories we’ve come across whilst doing this work," Ashley John-Baptise said.

“The lives of these care leavers mattered. I really hope our review shines a light on who they were, how they were failed and serves as a useful report to stir us all.”