More than a quarter of rough sleepers and around a quarter of the prison population were once in care. Yet there are few groups with whom statutory services, and local authorities in particular, have a greater chance to make a difference. Lisa Harker pointed out this irony in her column on this page several weeks ago.
Of course, it is also true that the profound problems that cause children to enter the care system in the first place will continue to play out in later life. Yet there have been enough documented cases of children actually being harmed while in care to head off any temptation to rely on policies, procedures and good intentions alone to produce the best for those in the system. Independent advocacy can play a vital role in ensuring that children are heard when they are unhappy or have a complaint.
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