Number of Wigan children in care is increasing and almost half can’t find work after leaving

The Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee met to discuss performance data which made for worrying reading for Coun Gena Merrett, vice-chair of the committee.

The members in Wigan Town Hall’s council chamber were shocked to learn that The percentage of care leavers aged 19 to 21 who are in education, employment or training has risen slightly in the last quarter from 52.7 per cent to 54.4 per cent.

A care-leaver is categorised as anyone who has spent time under the care of the local authority during their youth.

“I absolutely appreciate the rate of needs and care leavers not in education, employment and training is not out of line with the national norm, but it is awful to see,” Coun Merrett said.

She did highlight Wigan Council data which explained this was currently higher than the national average – but it was something that did not make for pleasant reading.

Coun Debra Wailes expressed the same opinion, but Sandie Hayes, the officer in attendance at the meeting explained this is something they are working to improve.

With statistics showing that 214 care leavers currently have an allocated case worker who we are committed to keeping in touch with every eight weeks – the council has ample engagement to help care leavers, the committee heard.

Explaining the rise in rates of children coming into the care of Wigan Council, a report said: “We continue to see an increase in the number of children becoming looked after, and a

reduction in children leaving our care. This is leading an increase in the overall number that we care for however, we do remain below our stat neighbour average.

“The common factors for children coming into care remain domestic abuse, substance misuse and poor mental health or parents.

"We continue to see an increase in the number of unaccompanied asylum seeking children, with almost treble the number of young people that we had in our care at the start April 22, this is also contributing to the rising numbers of children in our care.”