State needs to invest in teens leaving its care

I BELIEVE Focus Ireland’s call for a statutory right to aftercare for young people leaving State care (Irish Examiner, November 19) would be a sound economic and moral investment for the Government to consider — despite our current economic difficulties.

After all, it has the potential to save the Government millions of euro while also saving young lives by providing targeted support to prevent many young people from stumbling down the routes of homelessness, addiction and crime.

The problem arises because when a young person turns 18, the State no longer has any obligation to provide care for them. Many people, like myself, had a seamless transition from our teenage years to adulthood. We were supported in moving out of home, going to college or finding work by our parents or relatives.

However, as the two examples you quoted show, the lack of support when a young person leaves State care often means they face both physical and emotional hardship.

They can be left in the situation where they do not have a home and have no one to turn to for advice.

They had been raised in institutional settings which do not prepare them for the everyday practicalities of independent living and they are left with no support to achieve this themselves.

As both of your case histories showed, this is an extremely unhappy and terrifying situation.

A right to aftercare would not only help the young people overcome these difficulties but it would also benefit the Government’s finances as these young people would be steered away from homeless services and the criminal justice system.

Surely it is worth the Government investing in aftercare for young people to help them to clear pathways towards independence and security and away from the evils with which we are unfortunately only too familiar.

Zoe Hughes

Goldsmith Street

Phibsboro

Dublin 7