Statistical press release - Publication of ‘Northern Ireland Care Leavers 2014/15’

Date published: 14 January 2016

Care Leavers Aged 16–18

Key findings indicate care leavers aged 16-18 continue to have a higher proportion of young people coping with disability (15%) than the general population (6%), and in terms of education, higher proportions of care leavers had a Statement of Educational Need (14%) compared with the general school population (5%).

Three quarters of care leavers had GCSEs or other qualifications. However, the proportion of care leavers obtaining 5 GCSE’s (A*-C) or higher was 25% which remains much lower than for school leavers as a whole (79%). The proportion of young people leaving care with no qualifications was 26% in 2014/15.

Of care leavers for whom information was available, three in five (61%) were in education or training, 8% were working and 31% were unemployed or economically inactive.

Care Leavers Aged 19

Some 68% of care leavers aged 19 were in contact with Health and Social Care Trusts at least once a month.

In terms of becoming a parent, 16% of all care leavers aged 19 were parents, with 26% of female care leavers aged 19 becoming mothers on or before their 19th birthday.

Of the care leavers for whom information was available, 66% were in education, training or employment, a small increase from 2013/14 (64%). This was higher than 19 year old care leavers in England, where 59% were in education, training or employment, and in Wales (55%).