Andy Elvin, TACT’s CEO, has appeared on Sky News to talk about care leavers and homelessness: ‘not many steps to homelessness for children who have grown up in care’.

Young people leaving care are more likely to become homeless when compared with their peers, according to children’s charity, Become.

The charity highlighted that over 4,300 young care leavers face homeless, an increase of 54% in the last five years.

Talking to Sky News presenter, Anna Jones, TACT’s Andy Elvin said: “There is a complete shortage of suitable social accommodation and social housing these days…so [care-experienced young people] might be placed in undesirable areas, they might be placed a long way from their support networks. The gains that perhaps were made when they were in care can get lost, and they are very vulnerable.

“If something goes wrong for them, if they become homeless, if they lose a job, if a relationship breaks down, for general population children – they go back home. Their parents will welcome them back, so you’re not faced with the prospect of homelessness. It’s not many steps to homelessness for children who have grown up in care.”

Andy also called on the government to do more to support young people to prevent a pattern of homelessness. Watch the full interview (beginning at 21.05)