Longfield, who is now chair of the Commission on Young Lives, shared a letter to James Cleverly warning of the risks posed to 16- and 17-year-olds living in independent and semi-independent accommodation, including becoming involved with county lines drugs gangs.
The current children’s social care system is “not equipped to look after the growing number of older children in care” despite 16- and 17-year-olds making up almost a quarter of the current population of looked-after children, Longfield says.
A lack of provision geared towards protecting older children leaves many placed in accommodation alongside adults “involved in gangs and crime” and away from family and friends, the letter adds.
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