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Klarisse Smith’s experience highlights the challenges faced by young people leaving the care system in England. At just 16, Klarisse found herself living in a homeless hostel in Birmingham, having spent two years moving between various foster and family placements. Reflecting on that period, she recalled feeling neglected by her social worker: “I felt like my social worker just kind of washed her hands of me when I went to my auntie’s. I didn’t really have much contact with anyone. They just left me to my own devices and at the time I just thought this was pretty normal.”
Recent government data reveals a worrying trend: the number of households with at least one young care leaver confronting homelessness in England has surged by 37% over five years. This increase is more than double the rise seen across the wider population. The care charity Become has strongly criticized the situation, labeling it “a complete failure in support for care leavers.” Addressing these concerns, a government spokesperson described the risk of homelessness among care leavers as “unacceptable” and emphasized the government’s commitment through “record investment” in social and affordable housing.
Klarisse provided insight into the difficulties she faced during her stay in homelessness accommodation. With her social worker often on leave, visits were infrequent and primarily focused on resolving her Universal Credit claim. She recalled receiving just £50 a week in cash support during a six-week period without any other provisions. “Being homeless kind of strips your confidence away. It eats at your self worth and has you feeling like it’s never gonna change,” she explained. For Klarisse, seeking help was daunting; without persistent communication, many in her position like herself simply get overlooked. Birmingham City Council acknowledged these struggles in a statement, recognizing the “significant challenges” care leavers encounter when transitioning to independent living and outlining new initiatives like the Care Leaver Pathway to offer targeted support.
Despite the hardships, Klarisse’s journey progressed remarkably. While living in another hostel, she completed her A levels before pursuing a degree in social work and, more recently, participating in a scholarship program at the University of Oxford in clinical medicine. Drawing from her own experience within the system, she aims to inspire confidence among current foster children: “I’m a care leaver myself, and I feel that I can relate to a lot of people, especially foster kids. I can instill some confidence into them.” She stressed that being a social worker required a unique empathy, understanding how actions that might seem minor—such as packing a child’s belongings in bin bags—can feel deeply hurtful to young people in care.
Government figures from the Department of Housing, Communities and Local Government indicate that in 2024-25, 4,610 households with care leavers aged 18 to 20 faced homelessness, marking a 37% increase since 2019-20. By comparison, homelessness across the general population grew by 14.5%, reaching 330,410 households. These statistics account for those who have been recognized as homeless or threatened with homelessness by their local authorities and thus received some form of relief or prevention duty. Clare Bracey from Become highlighted that official data likely underrepresents the true scale of the problem because many young people do not reach out for help. She welcomed forthcoming measures such as the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which will formally require continued support for care leavers up to age 25 to ease their transition into adulthood.
The Local Government Association also weighed in, emphasizing that councils need greater powers and resources to build or acquire affordable housing to tackle homelessness effectively. They noted that over 132,000 households currently live in temporary accommodation, costing local authorities £2.8 billion annually. As the government seeks to develop new strategies aimed at prevention and long-term solutions, the voices of care leavers like Klarisse serve as a vital reminder of the urgent need for comprehensive support systems
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