Two-thirds of State care teens end up on the street

UP to two-thirds of teenagers leaving State care end up sleeping on the streets within two years.

Chief executive of children’s support group Barnardos, Owen Keenan, said many of the 4,200 children in care have been failed by the State because of serial neglect by successive governments to invest in childcare services.

Figures released in 2000 found that nearly two-thirds of those leaving health board care, and one-third of those leaving special schools for young offenders, experience homelessness within two years. Mr Keenan said nothing has changed and if anything the situation was now worse.