Local Government Association have published a briefing that demonstrates how councillors can support care-experienced children and young people to be physically active. With advice and examples of good practice.
A care-experienced person is anyone who, at any stage in their life and for any length of time, was in the care of someone other than their birth parents. The term care experienced also includes care leavers – a care leaver is a young person aged 16-25 years old who was previously in care and is now entitled to ongoing support from their council.
In 2024 there were 83,630 children and young people in care in England, and an additional 50,670 care leavers between 17 and 21 years old. These children and young people are a ‘hidden group’ in relation to physical activity policy and provision, whose needs and experiences are frequently overlooked. Indeed, currently no specific data is collected on the physical activity rates of children in care or care leavers.
Previous research (linked above) shows that care-experienced children and young people face unique, individual and systemic barriers to accessing and engaging in physical activity.