Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 9
9
High number of care leaver deaths highlights poor transition coordination to adult services.
Conclusion
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 16 to 25 have died in the past year.17 The Children’s Commissioner, Association of Directors of Children’s Services and Children’s Homes Association described specific challenges around the transition from children’s social care to adult services and personal advisors, with local authorities having 9 Qq 36-37 10 Qq 61, 68 11 Q 62 12 Qq 63-73 13 Q 11 14 C&AG’s Report, para 3.6 15 Q 32; C&AG’s Report, para 6 16 Q 24, 93-95 17 Sky News, Council facing urgent questions over deaths of two more teens, 19 November 2025 9 some duties for care leavers up to 25 years.18 The Department told us that it has extended the reporting of deaths to include care leavers up to the age of 24. When we stressed the need for better co-ordination between children’s and adult social care services, the Department told us this is an area that it needs to look at again. It described needing to look more carefully at common factors for those experiencing challenges, look at how it can share learning, and create environments better at preventing such incidents.19 Use of unregistered homes