Care-Leaver 'Cliff Edge': Children Worsen Self-Harm to Avoid Losing Support at 18

Research by psychotherapist Abi Booth, reported August 27, 2026, found children in England's care system deliberately worsen self-harm and suicide attempts to avoid discharge at 18 — when state support ends abruptly. A government review linked 112 deaths of care-leavers aged 18–24 in 2025 to this support cutoff. Of 400,000 children in England's social care system, nearly 84,000 are in local authority care.