Care leavers' success is tops in London

8.03.27pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 13th Apr 2007

The efforts of Richmond Council's Leaving Care Team have secured major success with the numbers of care leavers in the borough engaged in education, training or employment among the highest in the country.

Latest figures show that 88 % of the borough's care leavers aged 19 are engaged in these activities - placing Richmond upon Thames joint first among London boroughs and joint third nationally. At the time of the implementation of the Children (Leaving Care) Act in 2001 the numbers were just 42 %.

Cabinet Member for Education and Children's Services, Cllr Malcolm Eady, said this week:

"I would like to pay tribute to the care leavers for their sheer determination to achieve and to the dedication of staff in our Leaving Care Team in helping them to do so. There has been a tremendous focus on the education of looked after children in this borough and this has reaped great success with Richmond now one of the best performing boroughs anywhere in the country. We're not complacent, and aim to continually improve and raise the numbers even higher."