UK Teenagers in Care Four Times More Likely to Attempt Suicide
A staggering one in four UK teenagers who have been placed in foster or residential care are attempting to end their lives, according to a landmark study that has shed light on the alarming mental health outcomes of these young people. The research, which followed 19,000 individuals born between 2000 and 2002, found that those with care experience were not only four times more likely to attempt suicide than their peers but also had multiple negative mental health outcomes.
The study revealed that over 26% of 17-year-olds who have lived in foster or residential care have attempted to end their lives, compared to just seven percent of teenagers with no care experience. Furthermore, six in ten of those in foster care had self-harmed, while nearly four in ten reported high levels of depression.
The findings have been described as a "national emergency" by experts, who argue that the lack of intensive support for care-experienced young people is having long-lasting consequences on their mental health and wellbeing. Dr Ingrid Schoon, co-author of the study, said it was "alarming" to see the high rates of mental ill health among adolescents in care.
The research also highlights the need for a family-focused approach that ensures support remains available throughout a young person's life course. The current system, which often ends abruptly at age 18, is seen as "cliff-edges" by experts, who are calling for systemic change to address these issues.
In response to the findings, the government has vowed to take action, with plans to help children in care access mental health support sooner. However, critics argue that this is too little, too late, and that more needs to be done to address the shocking levels of harm faced by care-experienced young people.
A staggering one in four UK teenagers who have been placed in foster or residential care are attempting to end their lives, according to a landmark study that has shed light on the alarming mental health outcomes of these young people. The research, which followed 19,000 individuals born between 2000 and 2002, found that those with care experience were not only four times more likely to attempt suicide than their peers but also had multiple negative mental health outcomes.
The study revealed that over 26% of 17-year-olds who have lived in foster or residential care have attempted to end their lives, compared to just seven percent of teenagers with no care experience. Furthermore, six in ten of those in foster care had self-harmed, while nearly four in ten reported high levels of depression.
The findings have been described as a "national emergency" by experts, who argue that the lack of intensive support for care-experienced young people is having long-lasting consequences on their mental health and wellbeing. Dr Ingrid Schoon, co-author of the study, said it was "alarming" to see the high rates of mental ill health among adolescents in care.
The research also highlights the need for a family-focused approach that ensures support remains available throughout a young person's life course. The current system, which often ends abruptly at age 18, is seen as "cliff-edges" by experts, who are calling for systemic change to address these issues.
In response to the findings, the government has vowed to take action, with plans to help children in care access mental health support sooner. However, critics argue that this is too little, too late, and that more needs to be done to address the shocking levels of harm faced by care-experienced young people.
... I mean, can you believe that 1 in 4 teenagers in foster care are trying to end their lives? It's just not right, mate 
. And it's not like they don't get help or anything - it's just that the system is all messed up and doesn't really have a clue about what these kids need 
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No, seriously though, we need to be doing more to support these kids for life, not just for a few years while they're in care. We need to think about their long-term wellbeing, not just some quick fix that'll leave them high and dry again 
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. These kids deserve better than to be left to struggle with their emotions and try to find their place in the world without any proper support 
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I mean, I get it, the system is supposed to support them, but "family-focused approach" sounds like just a fancy way of saying "we'll try not to completely ruin their lives... yet". 
The government's all like "oh no, we're taking action!", but really they're just patching up the surface level. Where's the systemic change? 
it's like, what's going on? is it the lack of support or something deeper? i mean, six out of ten in foster care have self-harmed... that's like, a whole other level of trauma. and they're just 17! shouldn't we be doing more to prevent this kind of stuff from happening? 
and that 'cliff-edge' thing at age 18 is just crazy. shouldn't support be available for life or something?
This is just heartbreaking... 26% of 17-year-olds in foster care trying to end their lives?! 
How can we expect these kids to thrive when they're already dealing with so much? We need to fundamentally change our approach to supporting care-experienced young people, not just throw them a few Band-Aid solutions. 
we need more support for these kids not just a new plan 
mental health matters can't be left till someone tries to take their own life it's way too late 
The government is taking some steps, but it's not enough - we need systemic change 
. 1 in 4 teenagers in care are literally trying to kill themselves? That's not a 'national emergency', that's a bloody cry for help 
. We need more than just lip service from the gov about providing support sooner... we need actual systemic changes to keep these kids safe and supported until they're old enough to take control of their own lives 
. 26% is a pretty big percentage, fam 
... let's hope they actually follow through on those plans instead of just talking about it 
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, but I also think it's crucial that we're not just throwing money at the problem and expecting things to magically change 
. We need systemic changes that prioritize the well-being of care-experienced young people 
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. This isn't just about saving lives; it's about helping them thrive and reach their full potential 
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this study is literally heartbreaking! 1 in 4 teens in foster care are literally trying to end their lives? that's insane! 
and yeah the gov is all like "oh we're gonna do something" but it's not enough!! 
we need systemic change, fam! 
. We need to make sure these kids get the support they need for life, not just when they're in care. I'm glad the government is trying to do something about it, but we'll have to see if their plans actually make a difference 
. And what's with the family-focused approach? Can't we have both support for them while they're in care AND when they're out, as an adult? It's like we're saying "good luck" and then suddenly expecting everything to be okay... nope, not gonna happen 
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the fact that 26% of 17-year-olds in care have tried to end their lives is UNACCEPTABLE 
but seriously, who puts 18 as the age limit for support? that's like leaving a car engine running on fumes 
. These young people deserve a safety net that'll catch them if they're falling 
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. The fact that six in ten of them have self-harmed is just heartbreaking 
. We need to do more to support them, you know? Like, our school does some great work with mental health and wellbeing, but I bet it's not enough 
No way. We need systemic change to address this national emergency. It's time to put care-experienced teens first and make sure we're giving them the support they deserve. 