The most disadvantaged groups of care leavers are not receiving adequate support because of gaps in planning, a coalition of 22 organisations warned this week.

Help for some of the most vulnerable 16-21 year olds, including disabled teenagers and young offenders, is lagging behind that provided for other young people leaving the care system, the report warned. Asylum seekers, young parents and young people who are not engaged in education or learning are also missing out.

"While there was some progress in joint working with asylum teams, youth offending teams, disabilities and special needs teams, there was still some way to go in achieving adequate multi-agency working," said the report by the Action on Aftercare coalition.

Overall, the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000 has led to an improvement in support for care leavers as a result of greater resources and more specialist professionals, said the report.

However, staff feared that there was a danger that leaving care services could fall down local authorities' priority lists once ring-fencing comes to an end in April.

Amanda Allard, chairperson of Action on Aftercare, which includes NCH, Barnardo's, the Prince's Trust and Childline, said the research was evidence that "the battle for care leavers is certainly not won".

- Setting the Agenda: What's Left To Do in Leaving Care? www.nch.org.uk