Headlines: February 24th, 2012

Children in care are moving to placements more frequently, they receive less warning of the move and are given little choice about the next placement.

A survey by the Children’s Right Director has revealed the concerns of children in care about the scale and handling of their moves to new placements. In 2011 movement to new placements in the year rose from 4 to 5. More than half of children in care surveyed said they had no choice of placement the last time they were moved. Just over half of the children in care were only given a week or less notice before they were last moved to live in a different placement. Twenty-three per cent reported that they were given no notice of their last move and were told on the same day they were moved.

Children’s Rights Director Roger Morgan said: “Moving homes can sometimes create a great deal of disruption so it is worrying that so many children are reporting that they were given little or no notice before moving placements. It is also worrying to learn there was little choice of placements in which to move.”

The survey also found that 29 per cent of the care leavers taking part in this survey, were not in education, employment or training. The percentage of care leavers in work or training has been steadily falling from 17 per cent in 2009, to 15 per cent in 2010 and down again to 12 per cent in 2011. There is also concern that of those about to leave care, the percentage saying they receive help in finding work fell from 60 per cent last year to 52 per cent this year.