Girls in care pass more exams than boys

The educational performance of girls in care is better than boys
mirroring trends for non-looked after children, new department of
health figures have shown.

The care leavers statistical bulletin – which gives
further details to this year’s doh performance indicators
– reveal that 48 per cent of female care leavers aged 16-18
achieved at least one GCSE or GNVQ, compared to 36 per cent of
boys, in 2001/02.

Overall, 41 per cent (2,600) care leavers achieved at least one
GCSE or GNVQ, up 4 per cent from 2000/01, but still well down on
the 95 per cent of non-looked after children. A third more girls
than boys achieved five GCSEs, but less than one in four councils
reached the government target of half its care leavers obtaining a
qualification.

The findings also show that of the 4,700 care leavers aged 19 in
England, nearly half were living independently or in supported
accommodation such as hostels, lodgings and trainer flats. However,
councils had failed to keep in touch with nearly a quarter of all
the care leavers.

Care Leavers Statistical Bulletin from www.doh.gov.uk/public/stats3.htm