Ms Karla Charles:

In terms whether 18 is an arbitrary age and whether we should get rid of it, from a legislative perspective, a person under the age of 18 is a legally child so we cannot get rid of it. What we can do is provide exactly the same supports up to and beyond the age of 18. At a minimum, we should be looking at 25 or 27. If we look at the general population, they tend to leave home, on average, seven to eight years later than children in the care system yet these children have been brought up in supportive and loving environments that have been structured, have been attending school and have been given options, possibilities and examples of how to be confident and contributory members of society. For the most part, children in care do not have this or have had a certain element of it if they have been lucky enough to get into a wonderful foster family. Therefore, they need greater supports. EPIC does not have an upper age limit, so anybody who has had care experience can contact our organisation and receive support. That is the way it should be. Even a young person in their late 20s who has been in care and suddenly finds himself or herself at a difficult point in his or her life should have somewhere to turn in order to receive support. There should be no upper age limit and a downward slope of supports should be provided as young people find their feet. We should be looking at the individual needs of the young person in a holistic fashion and taking it from there.