Department of Human Services NSW: University of New South Wales.	care (see also Edwards, 2010) focused on the effectiveness of the three models within the leaving care programme: alternate family placement, group home and drop-in-support. The evaluation used a range of methods including: administrative data analysis; a survey of 61 young people (23 of these completed by phone or face-to-face interview); and 15 case studies (interviews with young people, family/carers and case workers and review of the leaving care plan.). Young people ranged in age from 18 to 22 years, including seven females and eight males. Three participants were Aboriginal and the authors defined another four participants as being from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. The majority of young people were defined as having an intellectual disability (13 or 87%). Three young people had multiple impairments and very high support needs, three had autism and three were visually impaired or blind. Two young people had a psychiatric disability.Most young people needed assistance to complete the surveys, usually from their carer or case worker.Observations of group homes and a day programme were also undertaken to supplement this data.Additionally, evaluators consulted with stakeholders from government, service providers and non-governmental organisations (28 consultations with 39 individuals).	than four fifths (83.4%) were described as having an intellectual disability. Others had physical or psychiatric impairments or autism. Almost a fifth of the young people were defined as Aboriginal. Less than half of the participants had a leaving care plan and only 18 had contact with the criminal justice system. The survey population was approximately two thirds male and mostly aged 20-21 years. One fifth were indigenous Australians (n=12). Half of the young people were engaged in community participation activities. One fifth stayed mostly at home, almost a third were doing college courses (32%) and nearly one fifth (18.6%) were involved in a work training programme. None of the young people were in full-time employment however, just over a quarter (27.1%) were working either volunteer or part-time, casual work. Only 5 young people had been homeless however almost a third (30.5%) had been in contact with the justice system. Indigenous respondents were more likely to experience independent living rather than being in a group but none of were living with a relative or in kinship care, compared with 10.9% of non-Indigenous respondents. Young people who lived in foster care stayed in care for longer. The majority reported being happy or very happy with leaving care planning (76%) and most had at least weekly contact with their support or key worker (75%) and were generally happy with the support received. In the 15 case studies, four young people receiving intensive 24 hour residential support in drop-in settings or group homes. The authors raised concerns about the appropriateness of this high cost level of support often focused on behavioural management or harm minimisation rather than opportunities to develop independent living skills. Five young people were attending a community participation programme viewed as unsuitable for higher functioning young people. Only one young person attended a transition to work programme. Nine young people were attending local colleges and all were positive about this