New documentary gives insight into the lives of care-experienced children

The documentary features actor Joe Swash, exploring the lives of teens in care over the age of 16, the largest-growing cohort in both child protection and care.

We learn about Joe’s mum - Kiffy, and her personal experience looking after Daniel for over 11 years.

“When these kids come, they don’t come singing and skipping with backpacks on. They’ve already come from extreme circumstances and the one thing as foster parents is that I feel you have to let these children know - we’re on your side.”

However, once Daniel reached 18, the lack of further support and help for life in University and beyond became apparent.

“Dan was 18 in January sitting his exams, preparing to get him to University, and nothing clicked in, no one appeared, no support.”

Joe meets 16-year-old Aiden, who has been in care since he was three. After living in multiple foster homes, and an adoption that broke down after a year, Aiden finally settled with Geoff and Stephen seven years ago. He was brought with a bin bag of his belongings, transferred through social workers in the night.

Joe asks: “what could adults have done to make this journey easier for you?”

Aiden responds: “Kind and caring if everyone was like that, life would be alot more secure and safe.”

Joe also meets 17 year old Karl about his experience in care. Karl first entered the care system when he was five and now lives in a private home.

“Before here, I had four different foster placements, three different care homes. They just didn’t last.”

The staff at the home encourage and prepare the kids for life in the ‘real world’ - including budgeting, cooking, cleaning and general housekeeping.

There are currently over 2,600 residential children’s homes in England, most of which are privately owned, but are funded by the child’s local authority.

It costs £6,000 a week to house Karl and other kids like him. The cost includes staff supporting him, an in house psychologist, weekly money for clothes, food and other expenses including holidays.

There are currently over 80,000 children living in care in England, most of whom are teenagers. The majority live in foster homes, with others living in residential children’s homes or other types of supported accommodation.

The government commissioned an Independent Review of Children’s Social Care in England, in 2019 which promises a ‘once-in-a generation opportunity to transform the system”.

Joe meets with Josh MacAlister who put together the independent report commissioned by the government as part of its manifesto commitment to improving children’s social care.

MacAlister explains the effects of a care system that can’t protect children, particularly those who are nearly leaving care: “What we’ve seen in the last few decades is a growing number of children in care in total. And within that we've seen a real growth in the number of teenagers in care.”

He says the care system currently set up cannot protect them, with homes “too full”, not enough foster homes and lack of support for children, other relatives or parents, with many at risk of grooming, gangs and exploitation.

“If we don’t change the course that we’re on, by this time next decade, there’ll be 100,000 children, not 80,000, in care in England.”

The Independent Review of Children’s Social Care in England showed a poor trajectory for the care system over the next ten years. The cost to reset this far outweighs what the government is willing to pay.


Commenting on the Independent Care Review, Joe said: “The independent review suggests that if we put in £2.6 billion worth of investment now it will completely transform the care system and that will save us billions down the line. But the Government has looked at it and said they’re putting in £200 million.

“It is frustrating. I do wish that everyone could just bang their heads together and realise this is an issue that needs to be looked at quickly and it is a very important cause.”

Chris Wild, a campaigner for young people in care said: “It's time to change the narrative, rebuild the system,bring in new policies and legislation. We can start by making care experience a protected characteristic.”

Commenting on the programme, Director of Policy and Campaigns at Become, Clare Bracey, said: "One of the things that young people say to us is: nobody should become a '#CareLeaver'. Care shouldn't leave you."