Northamptonshire council gives protected status to care leavers

The council said data showed those who had been in care could face unfair discrimination

A council has granted people who have spent time in care "protected characteristic" status.

If North Northamptonshire Council (NNC) accepts the proposal, it will become one of more than 30 councils across England and Scotland to have made the change.

The authority said data showed care leavers can face unfair discrimination.

There is a national campaign to make it illegal for those who have been in care to be discriminated against.

The proposal was approved by NNC's executive.

West Northamptonshire Council is considering a similar proposal, set to be discussed at its cabinet meeting in September.

• 'Being in care should be protected like race and sex'

According to figures, 41% of young people aged 19 to 21 who have experienced care were not in education, employment or training, compared with the national average of 12%.

A quarter of all homeless people are thought to have lived in care - and 13% of care experienced young people are in higher education by their 19th birthday, compared to 45% in the wider population, data showed.

Almost 25% of adult prison population have previously been in care and almost 50% of under 21-year-olds in contact with the criminal justice system have spent time in care.

'Significant barrier'

If adopted as a protected characteristic, experience of the care system would join the existing "characteristics" under the Equalities Act, which include age, disability and race.

Scott Edwards, the NCC's Conservative executive member for children, families, education and skills, said: "The national data is very compelling, it shows that having been in care can present a significant barrier to people and they can face unfair discrimination.

"As corporate parents it's essential that we do what we can to improve peoples' life chances, so enshrining care experience in our policy-making is essential."