Who are care leavers?

The legal definition of a care leaver comes from The Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000 which states that a Care Leaver is someone who has been in the care of the Local Authority, for example in residential or foster care, for a period of 13 weeks or more spanning their 16th birthday.

The Care Leavers’ Association has a simple definition of a care leaver – any adult who has spent time in care.