A better future for young people leaving care

Young people leaving statutory care are at high risk of homelessness. The 2008 White Paper on Homelessness. introduced a 'no exits into homelessness' policy that included young people leaving care, and the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness identified young people exiting care as a target group for reducing homelessness. The National Homelessness Research Agenda funded this study which explored post-care homelessness experiences of young people, asked them what they considered helpful, and identified practice and policy implications. Participants were 48 care leavers aged 19 to 23 years in Queensland and Victoria. Of these 17 young people were interviewed twice over a four month period. In addition focus groups were held with service providers and current postcare service arrangements in the two states mapped