Former care leavers in Northern Ireland (2005/06) statistical bulletin
Monday, 8 October 2007The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety today published a statistical bulletin summarising information on young people leaving care.
The bulletin provides a summary of the second collection of information on young people formerly in the care of Northern Ireland Health and Social Services Trusts who reached their 19th birthday during the year ending 31 March 2006.
The information was obtained from Health and Social Services Community Trusts in 2005/06.
The survey was carried out by the Department in order to determine whether these young people are still in touch with social services around their 19th birthday.
The aim was also to determine whether their economic activity and living circumstances are such that they are able to participate fully in society.
The bulletin provides information on the economic activity, accommodation, contact with social services, age, gender, and other characteristics of 180 young people who had been in the care of Heath and Social Services Trusts at 1st April 2003 and who reached their 19th birthday during the year ending 31 March 2006.
Summary
Some of the key findings included:
Almost half of the 180 former care leavers (84 boys and 96 girls) came from the Eastern Board area.
Almost a fifth (17%) of these young people were coping with disability, of whom just under half (48%) had a learning disability.
One in five former care leavers had become parents. Just over one quarter (26%) of females had at least one child. This is more than seven times higher than for young women in the general population, of whom only 3.7% were mothers before their 20th birthday. Among males, 15% had become fathers.
The average length of time spent in the latest period of care was approximately seven years.
Trusts were in contact with almost 9 in 10 (89%) former care leavers in Northern Ireland, which was lower than that for care leavers in England (93%).
For 12%, contact by Trusts was once every six months or less.
Trusts were more likely to maintain contact with former care leavers who had left care aged 18 or older, and with those who had been looked after for five years or more.
Just over half (51%) former care leavers were known to be in education, training or employment, which is over 10 percentage points lower compared with England (63%).
Of those with whom Trusts had contact, 65% were known to be in education, training or employment. This is almost 20 percentage points lower than for all 19-year-olds in Northern Ireland (82%).
Length of time in care and final placement type appeared to affect economic activity after leaving care, with higher rates of participation amongst those who had spent longer periods in care, and for those who had been in foster care in their last placement.
Young males and females differed in the types of accommodation in which they were most likely to be living; almost one third (32%) of young males were living with parents, relatives or friends, compared with 10% of young females. In contrast, 48% of females were living in independent accommodation, which is much higher than the equivalent figure for males (29%).
The bulletin is available online at:
Notes to Editors:
- The Community Information Branch of the DHSSPS collected this information from Health and Social Services Community Trust personnel. The collection covers the information on contact with social services, economic activity and living accommodation collected by the Department for Education and Skills in England, but also includes considerable additional information on these young people’s religion, disability, placement type, and length of time in care.
- Information was provided for 84 boys and 96 girls who were in the care of Health and Social Services Trusts at 1st April 2003 and who had reached their 19th birthday during the year ending 31 March 2006.
- This is the second collection of this information.
- Further information and copies of the bulletin are available from:
Media queries to DHSSPS Press Office on 02890 520074, or out of hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.
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