Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support young care leavers who are more vulnerable to drug-use, mental illness and being forced into sex work; and if she will meet with the hon. Member for Mitcham and Morden to discuss a constituent's personal case.

We recognise the importance of securing appropriate support for care leavers. All care leavers are allocated a Personal Advisor to support them to make a successful transition from care to independent living. This includes helping them to access services and support from wider agencies such as health and housing, and to provide practical and emotional support.

However, we know that better support is needed. The department’s response to the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care, ‘Stable Homes, Built on Love’, sets out six key missions to improve the lives of children in care and care leavers, including a commitment to reduce the disparities in long-term mental and physical health outcomes and improve wellbeing for care-experienced people.

The department is also providing over £230 million this spending review to support young people leaving care, including increasing the leaving care allowance from £2,000 to £3,000 and tripling the bursary that care leaver apprentices receive.

I am content to meet with the hon. Member for Mitcham and Morden as part of my MP surgery to discuss the constituent’s personal case.