A government review has been launched into the deaths of young people who have left care, following concerns too many are dying without enough support.
Harrowing data published in May 2025 shows 91 children and young people died in 2024-25. The majority were aged between just 16- and 25-years-old.
In a press release the government have said these figures are ‘unacceptably high and a serious problem which impacts wider society.’
In a bid to help, an independent review was launched on Thursday (16th April) which will be led by social worker Clare Chamberlain and broadcaster and author Ashley John-Baptise, who both have personal experience of the care system.
Together they will examine a number of cases to understand what happened in young people’s lives, who was there for them, and what more could have been done to help.
Josh MacAlister, minister for children and families, said: ‘Far too many young people who have been in care face massive challenges in adult life. The fact that many have died far too early is truly shocking and must change.’
During an interview with Sky News, MacAlister added: ‘There should be widespread public moral outrage at what is happening for a lot of our care leavers. They’ve grown up in the care of the state and very often they leave the care system isolated, alone and living in flats by themselves.’
‘The notification numbers that I get every fortnight are pretty steady, so the numbers [of deaths] are about the same as last year,’ he continued. ‘It will be about 90 this year. I think that’s an underreporting. I think there are care leavers who are dying and we’re not being notified about it.’
In 2025, Sky News published a documentary on the death of care leaver Nonita Grabovskyte, who took her own life just two weeks after turning 18. The film highlighted failings by Barnet Council in protecting her, and her case has contributed to the new government review.
‘I can’t overstate how important this work is, ‘ MacAlister said. ‘I hope our efforts will provide the critical insights and learning needed – so that we can do better for our precious care experienced young people.’
The government said the findings will feed into wider reforms, including the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. First introduced in 2017, the legislation will introduce ‘Staying Close’ support for care leavers up to the age of 25.
Clare Chamberlain remarked: ‘In undertaking this work we hope to hear not just from professionals, but from family and friends who were close to the young person, so that we can get a good understanding of what mattered most in their lives and what could have been different.’
Since 2023, councils have been expected to report the deaths of care leavers through the Serious Incident Notification system, with further improvements to data collection expected before the next figures are published in spring 2026.
Samantha Baron, interim chief executive of the British Association of Social Workers (BASW), said: ‘Social workers work with care leavers day-in, day-out and while many are supported to live fulfilling lives, we know that too many are dying far too young for myriad reasons.
‘We also know that support, funding and resources often tail off once a children becomes 16, while what is available is often variable and often too ‘adult’ centric.
‘BASW has called for the age limit of full statutory support to be increased to 21 and to recognise 16-year-old care leavers as older children rather than young adults.’
Image: david Griffiths/UnSplash
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