Young people on HSRs and their families faced multiple vulnerabilities and chronicle problems not dissimilar to those of other looked after children, such as:
- Current or previous experience of poor housing conditions (i.e. overcrowding, dampness, etc.) and homelessness.
- Current social housing.
- Lack of employment and training opportunities both for young people and their parents.
- Low educational attainment both for young people and their parents.
- Financial difficulties and long term dependency on state benefits.
- Fluidity of household composition.
- Current or previous experience of domestic violence.
- Frequent changes of address sometimes accompanied by changes of school, GPs and other support services.
- Alcohol and/or drugs misuse (young people and adults).
- Mental health problems experienced by young people but specially mothers.
- Offending.