New report calls to extend state care to 25

Image:Image: Shutterstock – Motortion Films

New report shows more than half of state care leavers accessed homelessness services in the four years after leaving care, causing calls to extend state care to the age of 25. The study found one in three had multiple homeless experiences, with participants who had been in residential care or multiple foster care placements, more likely to experience housing disruptions.

One of the key factors behind this issue is the lack of planning around post-care pathways, with advocates calling for national minimum standards and auditing processes for young people leaving care.

Produced By: Isabella Michie

Featured In Story: Chair of the Home Stretch – Paul McDonald, and Dr Robyn Martin – RMIT University

First aired on The Wire, Tuesday 12 October 2021