Why are young people who have been in public care five times less likely to go to university than those growing up in their own families? How can we ensure that they have the same opportunities to learn and achieve success as other young people? What does it mean for their future life chances if we fail to give their education the priority it deserves? Improving Access to Further and Higher Education for Young People in Public Care, reporting on an EU-funded research project, begins to answer some of these questions for the first time. Based on the largest in-depth interview sample of young people yet undertaken in Europe, this book tracks the care and school experience of the participants and their progression into further and higher education from their own perspective and those of relevant professionals. This cross-national research highlights the numerous obstacles they encountered, but also illustrates the pathways of the minority who successfully navigated educational systems. The study shows how educational opportunities could be greatly enhanced by improvements in policy and practice in each of the countries studied. This important book will be essential reading for those involved in child welfare and young people's education. Book jacket.