The transition to adulthood for young people leaving public care: international comparisons and perspectives.

Background A growing body of international research findings had revealed the poor outcomes for looked after children, in comparison to children who had not been in care, especially in relation to their education, health and wellbeing. These findings had also shown the high risk of social exclusion of young people making the transition from care to adulthood. They were far more likely than young people who had not been in care to have poorer educational qualifications, be younger parents, be homeless, and have higher levels of unemployment, offending behaviour and mental health problems. In 2003 a seminar held in Brussels brought together, for the first time, researchers from Europe, the Middle East, Canada and the United States, to begin to explore in depth the issues underpinning these research findings.