Growing up and leaving the care system is daunting enough, but for 22-year-old Hannah, from Hertfordshire, the biggest anxiety was the sudden reality of no longer having a crowd in her corner.
Turning 18 as a care leaver in England has been described as a “cliff edge” at which young people lose access to their social worker and support staff who provide day-to-day advocacy and help in a crisis – a reassuring and constant adult presence.
