Turning statistics into hope: Rethinking transitions for young people leaving care

Over a quarter of the prison population are care leavers. More than half of children who have been in care have a criminal conviction by age 25. A third become homeless within two years of leaving care.

These are the human realities behind the ‘care cliff’.

We use terms like the ‘care cliff’ to describe the point where formal care abruptly ends and young people must navigate independence with little support. But behind each number is a real young person whose story could have been different. This was no different from a young person my parents Dot and Derek knew.  

She was 18, newly out of foster care, and placed in a local bed and breakfast. At a time when she should have been discovering adulthood, she was navigating isolation. The adults around her were not supportive peers but strangers, some with negative influences. Within months, she committed a serious offence.

She became what the system often calls a ‘statistic’.

This wasn’t an abstract problem. The young woman who fell through the cracks had once been fostered by their independent fostering agency. The question was simple, yet profound: what could we have done differently?

From question to action: The staying close to home model

That question became the foundation for ROC Solid, the charity my parents established in 2007 to support young people leaving care. Their vision was clear: that no young person leaving their fostering agency would have to face adulthood alone.

ROC Solid, together with their care company ROC Group, created a model where young people could transition into supported accommodation after 18, funded through enhanced housing benefit and charitable donations. The focus was on continuity, stability, and belonging this gave care leavers a place to call home, with the same ethos of care and connection they experienced in fostering.

I joined my parents’ organisation in 2009, and by 2020 we had supported many young people moving from foster care into independence. But we realised a gap remained: what about those leaving children’s homes and under-18 supported accommodation?

We designed a flexible model that meets care leavers wherever they are, offering tailored support and always with a place to call home for as long as they need it. We created legacy funding known as ‘Dot’s Pot’ we are also able to provide lifelong practical financial support to anyone who has moved on from our care, from help with university costs, business start-ups, and debt, to simply buying food or furniture. In short, our role doesn’t end when the statutory duties do.

Stories of hope: What continuity can achieve

Tod’s story is one that continues to inspire our team.

Tod came to live in one of our children’s homes after being discharged from hospital following two suicide attempts. For six weeks, he barely left his room. Gradually, through the tenacity and patience of the team, he began to build relationships. Eventually, he started an apprenticeship, and a journey of recovery and growth.

When he turned 18, a time that can feel both liberating and terrifying for young people leaving care, Tod moved into one of our supported houses. He already knew the team and trusted the environment. He stayed until he was 21, gained secure employment, bought a car, and purchased his first home, with our 'Dot’s Pot' paying for his deposit.

Tod’s journey shows how relational continuity and secure housing can transform a trajectory that might otherwise have ended in crisis.

Another young woman we supported had been known to us since 2013, when I used to supervise her family time. When she later moved into one of our children’s homes, the transition felt natural. When she turned 18, she moved into our supported accommodation, already surrounded by familiar faces.

Today, she has her own home, a new baby, and a qualification in health and social care. She’s now considering joining our staff team, a full-circle moment that embodies the long-term connection we strive to build.

Bridging the gap: Learning from practice

These stories highlight a truth that research increasingly supports: young people leaving care need enduring relationships, stable housing, and ongoing emotional and practical support.

Our model does not replace statutory services; it complements them by bridging the gap between children’s and adult services, creating a safety net that feels less like a system and more like a family.

From our experience, several key learning points emerge:

These are principles that can be adapted by any provider, local authority, or commissioning body seeking to reduce care leaver vulnerability and improve outcomes.

A shared challenge for the sector

Every statistic about care leavers in prison, homeless accommodation, or crisis mental health care represents a call to do better. It challenges us, practitioners, providers, and policymakers alike, to design transitions that value relationship, belonging, and opportunity as much as independence.

The question we continue to ask ourselves is the same one my parents asked all those years ago:

Perhaps it’s time for all of us in health and social care to ask the same.