ALMOST 30 per cent of the care leavers looked after by Dorset Council are believed to have mental health problems which affect their day to day life.

The same report also says, but makes no connection, that many accept drug use as normal and do not want help to stop.

The report will go before the county's corporate parenting board next week. It says: “Substances, cannabis, legal highs and alcohol is prevalent in care leavers and almost accepted by them and their peers as a normal activity. Although there are services available to help care leavers reduce their reliance on substances, most do not view their use of substances as problematic and do not want to stop."

The council offers limited help and support to 265 care leavers aged between 18 and 25 who were previously in the care of the local authority.

The majority, around 98per cent, remain in touch with a worker although a handful have chosen to have no contact at all.

Sixteen of the group are currently considered to be in ‘unsuitable’ accommodation, including eight in emergency bed and breakfast settings; four in ‘unstable’ accommodation with friends and two in custody.

Two are asylum seekers who have exhausted the immigration appeals processes and are not responding to attempts to contact them. Council figure show that at any one time there are around 10 unaccompanied asylum-seeking children in its care.