Children in care
According to the latest official figures there are more than 83,000 children in care in the UK, including 64,400 looked after children in England.
It is well established that these children are more likely to have poor educational experiences, leave school with fewer qualifications, are at higher risk of offending, becoming a teenage parent and being not in education, employment or training.
Barnardo’s has services throughout the UK supporting looked after children and young people and those leaving the care system.
Visit our fostering and adoption website to find out more about Barnardo’s family placement services.
On our Own Two Feet
Barnardo’s is working in partnership with Action for Children to call on the Government to set up an asset-based savings account (ISA) for looked after children. Our proposal is based on the new voluntary ISA scheme due to be introduced in 2011 which will afford families the opportunity to invest in their children’s futures. With the majority of children in care having little or no contact with their parents, they are unlikely to benefit from this opportunity and end up with nothing.
The report sets out our scheme which will cost an estimated 6.6 million and ensure that scarce public resources are targeted towards those who need them most. It shows that savings accounts for looked after children will:
- Provide practical help, particularly around the critical periods of transition to independence
- Help improve educational outcomes and access to employment
- Support Social Mobility
- Offer an opportunity to improve financial education and responsibility
- Raise aspirations and help young people make positive choice about their future
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