Young people leaving care are dying at a rate around four times higher than the general population, according to a new review that highlights a stark disparity in outcomes for care leavers.
The finding points to a serious gap between those who have been in care and the wider population. Care leavers are young people moving out of the care system, and the review indicates that this group faces a substantially elevated risk of early death.
The figure is significant because it suggests that the transition out of care is associated with markedly worse outcomes than those experienced by the population as a whole. A death rate four times higher than the general population represents a major warning sign for those responsible for supporting young people after they leave care.
The review has been described as exposing a national tragedy, underlining the gravity of the findings. The supplied material does not include details of the review’s authors, methodology, recommendations or any official response.
The latest known position is that the review has identified a sharply higher death rate among care leavers, placing renewed attention on the risks faced by young people after leaving care and the support available to them during that transition.
