Care leavers are dying at a disproportionate rate – evidence and leadership are needed to support them

A new government-commissioned review has found that care leavers in England are dying at a disproportionate rate, with one hundred twelve deaths among eighteen to twenty-four year olds in 2025 alone. According to The Conversation, that works out to a death rate at least three times higher than the general population, with suicide the single largest cause and isolation cited as a key contributing factor. The review, conducted by social work leader Clare Chamberlain and journalist Ashley John-Baptiste, stopped short of specific policy recommendations but called for the care system to extend support from age zero to twenty-five. Josh MacAlister, the minister for children and families who commissioned the report, now faces pressure to act on its findings.

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