Providing the evidence to reduce homelessness among young people leaving care in Northern Ireland

ADR NI research provides the first population-level evidence on the scale and timing of homelessness among young people leaving care.

This directly informed new guidance to reduce youth homelessness for this vulnerable group in Northern Ireland through the Northern Ireland Executive's New Foundations Programme.  

The challenge 

Young people leaving care are known to face significant barriers as they transition into independent adult life, with homelessness widely recognised as one of the most serious risks. Until recently, however, policymakers in Northern Ireland lacked robust, population-level evidence on the true scale of this problem or on when care leavers were most vulnerable. 

Without this evidence base, it was difficult for departments to design and target interventions effectively, or to make the case for the sustained investment needed to address the issue. This gap in understanding meant that opportunities to intervene early, before young people reached crisis point, risked being missed. 

What the research found 

Using linked administrative data, ADR NI researchers were able to build a detailed, population-level picture of homelessness among care leavers for the first time. The research found that: 

• over six in ten care leavers experienced homelessness after leaving care, and 

• the highest risk of homelessness occurred during the first two years after leaving the care system. 

This provided a much clearer evidence base than had previously existed, identifying not only the scale of the problem but a critical window during which targeted prevention and early intervention could have the greatest effect. 

Commenting on the findings, Grainia Long, Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE), said: "Incredible research shows 17-times the risk of homelessness for care leavers – this is not acceptable. It also showed the biggest risk in the first 2 years. If we crack this, we can get it right first time and target resources here." 

The impact on policy and practice 

The findings directly informed the development and launch of New Foundations, a cross-departmental initiative led jointly by the Department for Communities and the Department of Health. The programme sets out a holistic approach to supporting young people leaving care, aiming to prevent youth homelessness by providing guaranteed, stable housing alongside tailored, multi-agency wraparound support during the transition to independent adult life. 

The research helped build support for the programme among policymakers and stakeholders, strengthening the case for a coordinated, cross-departmental response to a problem that had previously been difficult to quantify. 

Beyond informing the programme's launch, the research is continuing to shape its future direction. The Department of Health and the Department for Communities are now working with the ADRC NI team to explore how linked administrative data can be used to assess the programme's outcomes and inform future service delivery, embedding evidence-based evaluation into the programme from the outset.