New way of staying in touch and helping Dorset Council’s care leavers are to be tried in the months ahead.

Although most formally leave care at 18 the council has a duty to maintain contact until the age of 25, although this does not happen for around 10 per cent of Dorset care leavers.

Statistics show that 13 per cent of 17-18 year old care leavers are not considered to be in ‘suitable accommodation’, although this drops to 7 per cent for those 19-21.

Figures for 17-18 year-old care leavers in education, employment or training has dropped from 43 per cent to 37 per cent, while 54 per cent of 19-21 year old are in the category, an increase of 3 per cent.

Director of children’s services Sarah Parker says that the Council has looked at ways it can help care leavers find employment or continue training by offering the chance to look at jobs with the council in a range of departments, but says that more needs to be done.

Councillors on the corporate parenting board heard that 26 Dorset care leavers are now taking a degree-level course, although they tend to start several years later than the majority of graduates.

Talks are being held later this month about piloting new programmes to encourage an on-going relationship with care leaver which, amongst other things, is likely to completely drop the idea of sending out paperwork and questionnaires and use texts and other, more age appropriate, ways of staying in touch.