Homeless young people ‘tricked away from care’ – BBC interview

10 Oct 23

In an interview with BBC London News, Andrew Dickie, Head of Services at Coram Voice, says thousands of vulnerable 16 and 17-year-olds have not been looked after in accordance with appropriate child-protection laws. In fact, homeless young people have been steered away from going into care and instead put into cheaper hostel accommodation as a way for councils to save money.

“Each time that happens to a child that’s outrageous and it needs to stop.” Andrew Dickie, Head of Services at Coram Voice

This BBC interview follows the case of a young person named Charlotte, who in 2023 took Lambeth Council to court. The case settled in her favour, with the council accepting that she should have been taken into care under section 20. Most young people aged 16 or 17 years who are accepted as homeless by a local authority should be taken into care under section 20 of the Children Act.

If you are a young person seeking support for accommodation, then Coram Voice may be able to help you. Contact us on the Coram Voice Advocacy helpline.