Social care - How we are improving ... Outcomes for care leavers in Cornwall

Council Cornwall

Performance Percentage of care leavers aged 19 who were in care aged 17, who were in education, employment or training, in the year ending 31 March.

2005 Cornwall 29.2% England average 59.1%

2006 Cornwall 62.1% England average 63.4%

2007 Cornwall 72.6% England average 63%

2008 Cornwall 93.3% England average 64.9%

In the past four years, Cornwall has become the most improved authority in England for the percentage of its care leavers that go on to education, training or employment, according to the most recent government figures.

The authority has seen a staggering rise from 2005, where just 29.2 per cent of 19-year-old former care leavers were in education, training or employment, to 93.3 per cent in 2008.

David Roose, Cornwall's leaving care manager, attributes the rapid improvement to the creation of a dedicated care leavers team in 2005.

He says: "In 2005 our figures were so low and we recognised this needed to be looked at. Since then we have put a number of things in place such as providing supported lodgings to all young people who leave care, where they will get guidance and help from a landlord." From this stable base, Roose says it is easier to reach young people to encourage them to reach their potential.

The authority built up a close relationship with Connexions. "When we started in 2005, Connexions only had 14 care leavers on their records when we had 380 in Cornwall," Roose explains.

"Now by exchanging information about who care leavers are it enables Connexions to specifically target them."

A third of Cornwall's work with care leavers is carried out by charity Action for Children. It provides personal advisers and arranges leaving care plans for care leavers enhancing the support on offer from the council.