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July 2025 - Education

Care experienced children face significant disadvantages, according to latest research: Across the UK, care experienced children are statistically more likely to struggle in education and employment, and they are also overrepresented in statistics related to sudden death and suicide, according to a recent study.  Children enter care for a range of reasons, most commonly due to abuse or neglect, which accounts for 58% of cases in Wales, with similar trends observed in other nations. The study demonstrates that compared to their peers, many of these children often face insurmountable challenges and calls for urgent reform to the children’s social care system across the UK.

Uniquely, this report, from the National Centre for Social Research, summarises findings from various UK studies. Created in collaboration with Administrative Data Research (ADR), it combines de-identified administrative data from a range of sources including schools, the NHS and social care services, the courts and criminal justice systems.

The report shows that in England, only a fifth (20%) of children in care for 12 months and over, achieved a Grade 4 or above in English and Maths, versus two-thirds (65%) of their non-care peers. Their long-term outcomes are also poorer, with a quarter (25%) never progressing to further education or employment compared to just 4% of their peers. Similarly, in Scotland, survey results suggest that care leavers exhibit lower school attendance, poorer qualification attainment and higher exclusion rates. Kinship care (where the child is looked after by relatives or family friends) is the most common care arrangement in Scotland, with over a third (34%) of children in this situation. Though often cited as offering greater stability, their outcomes remain poor, as nearly three-quarters (72%) have recorded additional support needs, compared to about a third (31%) of all children in Scotland.

The study revealed that by 2020, children from the 10% most deprived areas of Northern Ireland were nine times more likely to enter the care system. In these areas, the number of children in care was double the national average. Moreover, the report also evidenced heightened risks of suicide and sudden death among care-experienced young adults in Ireland. Alarmingly, the research found that in Wales, where issues around abuse or neglect accounted for over half (58%) of children entering care, newborns (under two weeks old) represented 38% of all infants entering care between 2003 and 2021, with many of these infants experiencing multiple placements within just two years. Like other care-experienced children in the UK, those from Wales have poorer outcomes in relation to education, health, employment and poverty, compared to their peers.

This report not only provides insight into the problems affecting care experienced children across the UK but it also offers overwhelming evidence for more effective policies and greater support to improve outcomes for these children.

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