Making up Lost Ground: Challenges in Supporting the Educational Attainment of Looked After Children Beyond Key Stage 4 (Report‪)‬

Introduction The current recession has heightened concerns about youth unemployment, with global youth unemployment reaching record levels (International Labour Organization, 2010). Employment outcomes for care leavers in England are particularly poor, with around a third not in education, employment or training (NEET) at the age of 19 (Department for Education (DfE), 2010a). Poor performance at Key Stage 4 (2) compared with their peers (DfE, 2010b), coupled with typically 'accelerated and compressed' transitions to adulthood (Stein, 2006a, p 274), create barriers to further and higher education and skilled work for those leaving care.