The Commission on Young Lives has published a report looking at how young people in the care system are put at risk of exploitation. Concerns highlighted include: failure to identify and respond to children at risk of criminal exploitation, a lack of clarity on agencies’ roles and responsibilities in protecting teenagers at risk, and a care system that is not equipped to support rising numbers of teenagers in care. Recommendations include: the Department for Education (DfE) should guarantee teenagers are not in inappropriate placements; new duties and protections should be introduced to coordinate support from local authorities, schools, GPs and the police for teenagers at risk and their families; and the DfE should establish a new package of models of care for teenagers, accelerate the increase in capacity of residential care and finance new local community children’s homes.
Read the press release: Out of harm’s way: a new care system to protect vulnerable teenagers at risk of exploitation and crime
Download the report: Out of harm’s way: a new care system to protect vulnerable teenagers at risk of exploitation and crime (PDF)
Source: The Commission on Young Lives
Date: 29 December 2021
