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25 August 2015

Soaring rates of mental illness, substance abuse for children in care.

Children in care are suffering significantly higher rates of mental health problems than their peers and are far more likely to smoke, drink and abuse drugs, a damning new report has revealed.
They are also five times more likely to be admitted to hospital than children living with their own families and are at greater risk of dropping out of school. The figures, to be released by Anglicare Victoria this week, paint a bleak future for children in Victoria's residential care system, who are lagging well behind on a range of developmental, educational and social milestones.

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/soaring-rates-of-mental-illness-substance-abuse-for-children-in-care-report-20150821-gj4qzn.html