Young Care Leavers Face Education Disadvantage

The proportion of young people leaving care with no qualifications is however over 15 times that for general school leavers, according to a new report.

Although the number is in decline, 32% of people in care aged between 16 and 18 years of age left with no qualifications in 2012/13, compared to just 2% of general school leavers.

'Northern Ireland Care Leavers Aged 16–18 2012/13' was published today by the Department of Health.

The proportion of care leavers obtaining 5 GCSEs (A*-C) or higher was 18% in 2012/13, similar to the 19% recorded in 2011/12. The number remains lower than for school leavers as a whole (77%).

Of care leavers for whom information was available, 62% were in education or training, 7% were working and 30% were unemployed or economically inactive.

Care leavers with no qualifications were almost twice as likely as those with qualifications to be unemployed or economically inactive, the report found.

During 2012/13, 263 young people aged 16-18 left care in Northern Ireland, of which 48% were girls and 52% were boys.

81% of care leavers left care because they had reached 18 years of age.

14% of care leavers were disabled, of which three fifths had a learning disability.

Care leavers in foster care prior to leaving care appeared to be at an economic advantage, with 90% moving into education, training or employment.

(IT/MH)