Care Leavers in England Face Employment Barriers as Firms Slow to Adapt Recruitment
A new report from the Drive Forward Foundation has highlighted a critical issue in the UK job market: thousands of young people leaving care in England are being "locked out" of employment opportunities. This occurs despite many employers expressing a willingness to hire care-experienced individuals, with few making necessary changes to their recruitment processes to accommodate non-linear work histories or gaps in CVs.
Stubborn Employment Gap Persists Amid Youth Jobs Crisis
The charity warns that care leavers are almost three times more likely to be out of work compared to their peers. This employment gap has remained "stubbornly consistent" over the past decade, even as the government introduces various youth jobs initiatives. According to Office for National Statistics figures, 40% of care-experienced people aged 19 to 21 are not in employment, education, or training (Neet), starkly contrasting with 12.7% of their non-care-experienced counterparts.
Across the UK, the overall number of 16- to 24-year-olds classified as Neet has risen to nearly 1 million, marking the highest level in over ten years. In response, the government is implementing measures to combat youth unemployment, including welfare reforms and employer subsidies. Recently, Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden announced a £1 billion youth employment scheme, offering companies a £3,000 grant for each hire of an 18- to 24-year-old on benefits who has been job-seeking for at least six months. Additionally, ministers have facilitated a slower increase in the minimum wage for younger workers.
Survey Reveals Disconnect Between Intentions and Actions
However, the Drive Forward Foundation's report underscores a significant disconnect. A survey of 500 employers commissioned by the charity found that while over 80% said they would consider hiring care-experienced young people, very few had adapted their recruitment practices. Specifically, almost half of employers never adjust job descriptions or recruitment language to remove unnecessary barriers, and one in four reported having no specific measures to support care-experienced candidates.
Russell Winnard, Chief Executive of the Drive Forward Foundation, commented: "Care-experienced young people are often assessed against assumptions that simply don’t reflect their lived reality. When recruitment systems aren’t designed with this in mind, capable and motivated people are screened out before they ever get a chance."
Charity Launches Toolkit to Drive Change
In light of these findings, the charity is publishing a new toolkit aimed at helping employers improve access to work for care leavers. Drive Forward has established partnerships with more than 40 employers, including John Lewis, Camden Council, the Salad Kitchen, the civil service, Candyspace, and the Crown Estate, all working to employ care-experienced young people.
Winnard added: "Employers who adapted their practices often saw strong results. When businesses take a more flexible and informed approach, they don’t just change outcomes for young people – they strengthen their own workforce."
Government Response and Support Measures
A government spokesperson stated: "We are committed to ensuring every young person has the opportunity to earn or learn. We provide targeted support for care leavers, including access to higher housing allowance rates up to age 25 and tailored Jobcentre Plus support. Our latest major intervention will help to create 200,000 jobs for young people, backed by almost £1 billion. The broader support package, totalling £2.5 billion, will support almost 1 million young people and help deliver up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn."
This situation highlights the ongoing challenges in bridging the employment gap for vulnerable youth, calling for more proactive measures from both the public and private sectors to ensure inclusive hiring practices.
