A new report launched today at the Local Government Association’s Culture, Tourism and Sport Conference is calling for urgent action to improve access to physical activity for care-experienced children and young people across England.
The report, Guidance on Improving Opportunities for Physical Activity for Care-Experienced Children and Young People, warns that this group is often “hidden” in policy and provision, with their needs and experiences overlooked.
Latest figures show there are 83,630 children in care and 50,670 care leavers aged 17–21 in England. Despite the known benefits of physical activity for mental and physical wellbeing, many face individual and systemic barriers to participation.
Commissioned by the LGA and written by Coram and Stormbreak, the report was co-produced with 55 care-experienced young people through focus groups and workshops held in April and May 2025.
The report calls on the Government to:
- Prioritise care-experienced children in the upcoming physical activity strategy
- Expand data collection by Sport England, the Department for Education, and DCMS to include this group
- Fund further research to strengthen the evidence base and inform effective interventions
Chair of the LGA’s Culture, Tourism and Sport Committee, Cllr Julie Jones-Evans, said:
“It is vital that care-experienced children and young people have access to opportunities for physical activity.
“As corporate parents, looking after children and young people is one of the most important jobs that councils do. It means doing everything we can for every child in the council’s care, and every care leaver too. Supporting care-experienced children and young people to be physically active is an important part of these corporate parenting responsibilities.
“Sadly care-experienced children and young people are often a hidden group that is overlooked. This is why we are urging the Government to ensure care-experienced children and young people are a part of its forthcoming physical activity strategy, so we can better support their needs to help them develop and flourish in life.”
It also provides practical guidance and examples of good practice for councils and their partners to design inclusive programmes that meet the needs of care-experienced children.
The LGA says better data and targeted support will help councils create more inclusive opportunities, ensuring care-experienced children are no longer left behind in physical activity policy.
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