Centrepoint, in its response to “Care Matters”, welcomes the wide ranging and thought provoking proposals contained in the Government’s green paper, published in October 2006.  However, the Government must ensure that there is a real focus on ensuring that young people are fully prepared for the transition to adult life through getting appropriate help at the right time for them. The crucial test is the Frank Dobson question of the late 1990s: “Is this good enough for my child?”

We are pleased to see some recognition of the importance of housing needs but believe that the proposals do not go far enough.  It is vital that there is in every local authority a wide range and choice of good quality supported accommodation.  Far too often care leavers are placed in unsatisfactory accommodation with inadequate support such as B&Bs or hostels which are not properly staffed. As Adam, a young person supported by Centrepoint, recalled about his time in a B&B:

“It was a ‘hell hole’. Everyday I would find syringes on the floor, and blood down the walls in the toilet. My sink leaked onto my clothes and ruined them. I was really miserable there but I kept up my college course and continued going to college each day.”

Centrepoint calls for local authorities to be required to provide appropriate accommodation and be audited about how far they are meeting the needs of their local population of care leavers. Overall, our response to the proposals emphasises that having an affordable place to live and somewhere you see as a home is a crucial determinant of success in later life. At present many care leavers struggle to achieve this; the government has an opportunity with this green paper to start to tackle this and transform the lives of some of the most disadvantaged young people in our society.

Balbir Chatrik, Director of Policy, commented on some of the other proposals in the green paper:

“For far too long, care leavers have been failed by society.  It is good to see a focus on preventative work with young people and their families before coming into care.  We are very clear through our work with local authorities and other agencies on preventative work that this agenda has too often been under-valued. But we are asking the Government to consider and promote more ideas on what works to prevent homelessness for young people, and to listen to what parents and teenagers say they want.”

“We also welcome the move to look at delaying the age at which young people leave care. However, for those young people unable to stay on in foster placements, it is vital that the right support and range of accommodation is in place to help young care leavers during their transition to adulthood.  We look forward to contributing to the Government’s plans to publish good practice in this area, work which will build on our 2002 good practice handbook.”

“We also welcome the Government’s stated commitment to high educational aspirations for care leavers.  But there needs to be a much greater emphasis placed on securing the best means for young people to access the full range of options for career development including training and employment advice.  There needs to be recognition of the fact that young people, such as those at Centrepoint, often take longer to access further or higher education as they experience extended and fractured transitions to adult life.”

In our response, we have also expressed concern that some of the proposed entitlements for care leavers are age led and so will not benefit some young people.  Many young people can find that by the time they feel ready to enter education or training they are already 21 and therefore not eligible to assistance under the Children Leaving Care Act.

Read the response

 - ENDS -

Notes to Editors

For further information please contact Sarah Roberts/Stephen Hogg, Centrepoint Media Relations: 0207 423 6887/6808 or email This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it  

Centrepoint is the national charity working to improve the lives of socially excluded homeless young people.  It   provides a range of services, including emergency night shelters and short stay hostels, specialist projects for care leavers, ex-offenders, young single parents, foyers and supported flats and floating support services.   These services provide the foundations from which young people can start addressing some of the issues that lead to them becoming homeless, and developing the skills they need for a sustainable future.  For more information about Centrepoint visit www.centrepoint.org.uk