Thousands of young people leaving care in England face significant barriers to employment, as employers express willingness to hire but implement few adaptations. Care leavers remain almost three times more likely to be out of work than their peers, despite ongoing youth employment initiatives.
Persistent Employment Gaps
Office for National Statistics data reveals that 40% of care-experienced individuals aged 19 to 21 are not in employment, education, or training (NEET), compared to 12.7% of their non-care-experienced counterparts. Across the UK, nearly 1 million 16- to 24-year-olds are NEET, marking the highest level in over a decade.
Government Efforts to Boost Youth Jobs
Officials aim to reduce youth unemployment through welfare reforms and employer subsidies. Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden recently unveiled a £1 billion youth employment scheme, offering companies £3,000 grants for hiring 18- to 24-year-olds on benefits who have job-searched for at least six months. Ministers also plan a gradual increase in the minimum wage for younger workers.
Employer Practices Fall Short
A survey of 500 employers indicates that over 80% would consider hiring care-experienced youth, yet few modify recruitment to accommodate non-linear career paths or CV gaps. Nearly half never revise job descriptions or language to eliminate barriers, and one in four lack specific support measures for these candidates.
Russell Winnard, chief executive of the Drive Forward Foundation, states: “Care-experienced young people are often assessed against assumptions that simply don’t reflect their lived reality. When recruitment systems aren’t designed with this in mind, capable and motivated people are screened out before they ever get a chance.”
Calls for Action and Resources
The Drive Forward Foundation, which partners with over 40 employers like John Lewis, Camden Council, Salad Kitchen, the Civil Service, Candyspace, and the Crown Estate, releases a new toolkit to guide companies in improving access for care leavers. Winnard adds: “Employers who adapted their practices often saw strong results. When businesses take a more flexible and informed approach, they don’t just change outcomes for young people – they strengthen their own workforce.”
A government spokesperson affirms: “We are committed to ensuring every young person has the opportunity to earn or learn. We provide targeted support for care leavers, including access to higher housing allowance rates up to age 25 and tailored Jobcentre Plus support. Our latest major intervention will help to create 200,000 jobs for young people, backed by almost £1bn. The broader support package, totalling £2.5bn, will support almost 1 million young people and help deliver up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn.”
