CYP Now - Third of adopted children fail to complete college course, study finds

Campaigners are calling for adopted children to receive more support to apply for and maintain a college placement after research found around a third drop out of a course.

Many adoptees lacked confidence in their academic ability, a new study finds. Image: Adobe Stock

A survey by charity Adoption UK of 76 adopted young people aged 16 to 25, found that 30 per cent who started a college course within one year of leaving school failed to complete it. The drop-out rate for later enrollers – those who applied more than one year after finishing school – was 18 per cent.

The charity described the drop-out rates as “huge and concerning” and called for policymakers across the UK to rethink the education system so that adopted children receive more help.

Other findings in the Better Futures report include:

The report highlights how low self-esteem and lack of confidence in their ability to meet the academic standards had a detrimental effect on adopted young people, especially among those who had previously struggled at school.

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