Children’s charity Barnardo’s and homeless charity St Basil’s are launching a new initiative to train young people leaving care about the housing market.

Their new five-step framework is aimed at helping young people with their housing options when they leave foster and residential care.

More than two in three (68%) of young people who have been in care leave it on their 18th birthday, and 31% leave when they reach 16 or 17.

Too young to cope, they are more likely than their peers to end up in rent debt or homelessness.

A quarter of homeless people were in care as children.

Barnardo’s chief executive Javed Khan said: “Vulnerable young people who leave care can face rent debt, misery and even homelessness.

“All too often they find themselves living in accommodation that they’re not ready for or doesn’t suit them.”

The new framework is aimed at helping local authorities to help young care-leavers with their housing, including private renting.