Loughton agreed to the regular meetings after five care leavers were filmed by CYP Now quizzing him at the Department for Education.
The meeting with Loughton was arranged in partnership with the Care Leavers’ Foundation.
The video of this session can be viewed below — its release coinciding with National Care Leavers’ Week (24-30 October).
Broadcaster and documentary filmmaker David Akinsanya, himself a former care leaver, chaired the first debate.
The young people grilled Loughton on how to remove care leavers from the benefits trap, and ensure children’s social workers better meet their needs. The next meeting takes place in December.
Explaining the importance of the ongoing meetings, Akinsanya said: "We spend money taking these kids away from their families to "safeguard" them but it isn’t followed through.
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