Make one-to-one mentoring a statutory right for children in care & care leavers

Introduce a statutory right to trauma-informed one-to-one mentorship and guaranteed mental health support for every child in care and after care leavers up to age 25, funded by the Government.

Some children enter the care system due to trauma, abuse, and neglect, yet too many leave without stable emotional support. In our view, high rates of self-harm, suicide attempts, homelessness and criminalisation show the system is failing to deliver on its corporate parenting duties. We believe early, trauma-informed mentorship prevents crisis, reduces long-term public cost, and saves lives. This reform is preventative, not reactive.

Preventative support to children in care and care leavers is essential to help improve life outcomes, including health and homelessness.

DfE recognises the value of mentoring in helping young people to achieve improved life outcomes and the impact mentoring can have to build supportive relationships, confidence, self-belief and skills needed for improved housing, health, education and employment outcomes.

Mentoring for children in care and care leavers has been supported through departmental initiatives such as the Family Finding, Befriending and Mentoring programme, which helps young people develop relationships and build key skills.

Looked-after children attract Pupil Premium Plus funding. This funding supports evidence-based interventions to improve educational attainment and wider educational outcomes, including activities such as one-to-one tutoring, enrichment activities and mentoring where effective.

Under the Children Act 1989, looked-after children are entitled to an Independent Visitor, who provides friendship, support and opportunities to develop skills and trusted relationships.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has also announced £10 million for creative mentoring for care-experienced young people, providing one-to-one support from creative practitioners.

DfE are committed to supporting the life outcomes of children in care and care leavers, by embedding the Enduring Relationships Strategy which aims to ensure children leave care with supportive, loving relationships with trusted adults.

In August, DfE published a review which explored the circumstances around the tragic deaths of young people leaving care. In response, DfE are investing £25 million to roll out the Staying Close programme across the country. This investment will provide dedicated support for care leavers up to age 25, strengthening and increasing access to mental health support for young people.

The government is expanding NHS Talking Therapies, funding Early Support Hubs for 11 to 25-year-olds, and a new mental health strategy for England will be published later this year.

The government are also piloting integrated mental health support for children in care, and developing a toolkit to help local authorities and health partners work together to provide mental health services for care-experienced young people.

In Autumn 2027, corporate parenting duties will be extended to relevant public bodies. These duties will ensure children in care and care leavers are considered during policy making and delivery, and that services are more joined-up in their response to the needs of this cohort.

DfE continues to keep the role of mentoring, including any legislative implications, and opportunities to increase mental health support under review, as part of the Enduring Relationships Programme.

Department for Education