A STATUTORY right to aftercare to prevent young people leaving care services becoming homeless, was called for by charity group Focus Ireland yesterday.
The homeless and housing charity made the call as it launched a Dublin city accommodation project to help young people who have come out of care to prepare for independent living.
Once a young person turns 18, the State has no legal obligation to support their move into adult life, chief executive of Focus Ireland Joyce Loughnane said yesterday.
There are more than 5,000 children and young people in foster care or residential centres and about 126 people will leave care in the north Dublin area between 2006 and 2008, she added.
"Young people needing care are very often vulnerable and they need support," Focus Ireland life president Sr Stanislaus Kennedy said at the official launch of the Chéad Chéim project yesterday.
"A majority of young people failed to make a transition to independent living after leaving care and many of them ended up becoming homeless," Sr Stanislaus said referring to research carried out by the charity in 2000.
Chéad Chéim provides 10 self-contained apartments for 18- to 21- year-olds to live in for a year after leaving care. Professional staff work with residents and help them to take part in training and work programmes to make the transition to independent living.
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