The number of young care leavers dying has risen by around a quarter. In 2025, 112 care leavers aged 18 to 24 died. And the government's own review warns that the true number may be higher because councils simply lose contact with some young people after they leave care.
Look beyond that headline figure, and the picture becomes even more troubling.
Care leavers are estimated to be dying at three to four times the rate of other young people their age. More than a third of the deaths examined were believed to be suicides. Drug and alcohol misuse, homelessness, loneliness and serious mental health problems feature repeatedly.
And one age stands out: 18.
More care leavers died at 18 than at any other age examined by the review.
This can be the moment the system around them changes dramatically.
Take Joash McCullough.
Joash was autistic and had ADHD. His parents had spent years trying to cope with increasingly complex behaviour and serious mental health crises. Eventually they made the agonising decision that he needed care they could no longer provide at home.
At 14, he was moved around 200 miles away to a children's home. He would later move again.
Then Joash turned 18 and entered the transition from children's services to the adult system. He died later that year on railway lines near to where he lived.
An inquest has yet to fully examine the circumstances of his death, so no conclusions should be drawn about what happened to Joash. But his story helps explain why this government's findings matter.
Read more from Nick Martin:
Questions for council over deaths of teens
Why experienced foster carers are quitting
The problem is that very little in this review will come as a surprise to ministers. Even the review itself accepts that.
Governments have known for years about the so-called "care cliff". They know there aren't enough foster carers. They know councils are spending huge sums placing children wherever they can find beds. They know the quality of children's homes and supported accommodation varies. And they know the transition between children's and adult mental health services can be brutally difficult.
So identifying the problems is arguably the easy bit.
Fixing them is much harder.
Better children's homes require money and skilled staff. More foster placements require a serious recruitment and retention effort, something the government says it is trying to do. Better mental health provision requires capacity on both sides of the 18th birthday.
The political question now is: what is government actually going to do differently?
The age of 18 is now accepted to be a perilous point for young people in care. They are most at risk. Acknowledging the "care cliff" is no longer enough. The challenge for ministers is working out how to stop young people from falling off it.
Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for free on 116 123 or visit samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) will now consider whether to bring any charges against the suspect, a man in his 80s, but won't provide a timescale for a decision.
The Met emailed Al Fayed survivor groups on Monday confirming it had submitted an evidential file to the CPS for a decision on whether to charge the suspect.
"The file relates to one suspect, a man in his 80s, and relates to two indecent assaults on two women in London. Officers will continue to work closely with CPS prosecutors as the case progresses," the force said in the email seen by Sky News.
It added that seven suspects – previously reported to be four women and three men – have been interviewed under caution on suspicion of offences, including aiding and abetting rape and sexual assault, assisting in the commission of sexual offences, and human trafficking for the purposes of sexual exploitation.
"This remains a complex and highly sensitive investigation. Our focus is on pursuing all available lines of enquiry, maintaining the integrity of the investigation, and supporting those who have come forward," it said.
'Time does not put accountability beyond reach'
Justice for Fayed and Harrods Survivors co-chairs Jen Mills and Lindsay Mason said the submission is a "significant step", adding that "age should never be a shield from accountability".
"Survivors have spent decades either not being believed or being told that Fayed and those around him were too powerful and that nothing could be done – but today is an important reminder that the passage of time does not, by itself, put accountability beyond reach," they said.
They added that the wider investigation into who facilitated Fayed's offending "must continue wherever the evidence leads".
A spokesperson from Fayed survivor group No One Above said: "We call on the Met to confirm it is securing evidence on all perpetrators and co-conspirators – including the financial and documentary evidence of how victims were recruited, screened, moved, harboured and silenced."
No One Above has also called on the Met to confirm that human trafficking and modern slavery are the primary framework of the investigation, that financial investigators have been brought in to follow the money that funded and concealed the network, and that all financial and documentary evidence of the network's operations is being actively secured.
Read more by Sky News:
Man questioned by police in Al Fayed investigation
Police apologise for exposing addresses of victims
More than 400 allegations of sexual misconduct have been made against the former Harrods boss dating between 1977 and 2014, including sexual assault, rape, sexual exploitation and human trafficking.
The Met has been dealing with at least 156 alleged victims who contacted them directly, including 21 who came forward before Al Fayed died.
Al Fayed died aged 94 in 2023 without facing any charges. He had sold Harrods in 2010.
Barnsley man Bradley Townsend is thought to have been killed on 10 June by a suicide drone near Lyman in the Donetsk region, his comrades said.
Kyiv shares 'Avengers' tech with UK: War latest
The 33-year-old left Britain for Russia in April to join its forces, despite having no previous military experience.
Before his death, Mr Townsend described himself as a "normal working-class lad from Yorkshire" who wanted to help pro-Russian forces in the Donbas region because it had supported striking Yorkshire miners in the 1980s, and he wished to "repay that favour".
In a YouTube video by the "International Volunteers Association", which is dedicated to "international veterans of the Russian armed forces", he said he came to Russia with the idea that he "probably wouldn't be able to go home".
"I'd definitely get persecuted if I went back," he said in the footage, which was uploaded in April.
"I'm not here for a suicide mission, but I understand that's what can happen. This was my own decision; I wasn't pushed into anything," Mr Townsend added.
'He answered the call'
Another Briton enlisted with Russia's army, Aiden Minnis, paid tribute on social media, referring to him by his call sign, "Badger".
"He made the journey from Great Britain to Russia, he chose to walk in his grandfather's footsteps and answered the call to fight fascism," he wrote on Facebook.
"I had the pleasure of spending some time with Bradley before he decided to sign his contract.
"We discussed the danger he would be facing, but he insisted that his mind was made up and he wanted to help the people of Russia defeat the Nazis."
Vladimir Putin and others in his government have falsely claimed throughout the war that Ukraine is under "Nazi control".
Read more on Sky News:
Second Ukrainian arrested over Nord Stream blasts
Zelenskyy on defence sackings and possible 'long war'
LBC reports Mr Townsend told his family he was going to Romania when he left the UK in April.
Former security minister Tom Tugendhat told the radio station he was "very sorry for him and his family" but added that joining up with Russia's army was "unbelievably stupid".
"It's extremely misguided. And, you know, it's no question about it; it's criminal. Because you're engaging in an army that is committing the most barbarous war crimes that the world has seen in decades."
Mr Townsend's death comes after Prime Minister Andy Burnham visited Ukraine to mark the country's independence day, where both countries signed an AI defence partnership, and the UK also agreed to give Kyiv blueprints to produce Storm Shadow missiles.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, which advises against all travel to Russia, said it's aware of reports that a British national has died in Ukraine and is in contact with his family.
It also advises that anyone travelling to Russia to join its army or help others engaged in the war could be prosecuted on return to the UK.
The move is being seen as a way of offering a "discreet and convenient option" to encourage more women to get screened.
The free kits contain a swab, which is used to collect a sample from the vagina, and can be done "at home in minutes".
This is then posted back to NHS labs for free, where it is tested for high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV).
If high-risk HPV is detected, patients will then be asked to attend a cervical screening appointment with a clinician.
Read more: Signs of cervical cancer to watch out for
HPV is a group of viruses which can be passed on through sexual contact and cause no symptoms.
However, around 13 high-risk types of the virus are known to cause 99.7% of cervical cancers.
Eligible women aged between 30 and 65, who have not attended screening appointments, will be sent invitations from today through the NHS app, text message, email or by letter.
They will then be able to order a kit through the NHS app or online.
The phased rollout forms part of the NHS's target of eliminating cervical cancer by 2040.
Read more from Sky News:
Briton dies fighting for Russia
Trump 'can't get out' of Iran war
Dr Sue Mann, national clinical director for women's health at NHS England, said: "Screening saves thousands of lives each year by preventing cancers and catching them earlier, but only around two thirds of women are attending cervical screening appointments when invited by the NHS.
"Offering millions of women an alternative test they can do from the comfort of their own homes will be a gamechanger – making it easier than ever for them to get tested for HPV."
Women aged between 24 and 64 are invited for cervical screening every five years, or more often if HPV is detected.
Latest figures from NHS England show 68.8% of eligible women are up to date with cervical screening, below the 80% target.
The health service estimates this means around four million women are not up to date.
Dr Mann said: "There are lots of reasons that may stop women from getting their cervicalscreening – embarrassment,, lack of time, or worries about discomfort – and these kits provide a discreet and convenient option we hope will encourage more women to take up the life-saving test.
"So, if you're invited to take part, please order a test – it's a simple swab you can do at home in minutes."
Warning: This article contains details of child sexual abuse.
Graeme Dott, 49, went on trial accused of lewd, indecent and libidinous practices and behaviour towards two children.
The allegations spanned between 1993 and 1996 involving a girl, and 2006 to 2010 involving a boy.
At the time, both of the youngsters were of primary school age.
Dott denied any wrongdoing, branding the allegations "disgusting" during his trial at the High Court in Glasgow.
The female victim, who is now in her 40s, was preyed upon in the Glasgow region.
She recalled one incident in which Dott started to "caress" her buttocks over her clothing during an indoor piggyback ride.
The woman told jurors of being sexually abused during a "guessing game", which was said to have taken place more than once during which she would have to close her eyes and "guess" what Dott was doing.
In one incident, she said Dott removed her trousers, lifted her top and kissed her stomach.
He also exposed himself during another incident and induced her to briefly engage in a sex act, which came to an end when she "started to cry".
The woman told the court she was "shocked, scared", before later adding: "I wanted to do what he was asking me to do because I didn't want to upset him or anything like that."
Jurors heard how the woman confided in a friend when she was a teenager and then went on to tell family members and a guidance teacher at secondary school.
She made a report to the police in 2001, but the complaint went nowhere until officers knocked on her door 23 years later in November 2024 in light of allegations made by the male victim.
The man, who is now in his late-20s, was targeted in South Lanarkshire.
Jurors heard how Dott - who was world snooker champion at the time - mostly molested the boy when the youngster was in a shower and would touch him in "inappropriate places".
The man said that because of his age at the time, he "did not know what was going on", and it was only later that he realised the interaction "wasn't right".
He described Dott's demeanour as "aggressive", adding: "Looking back, he knew what he wanted me to do."
The man added: "He expected nothing but compliance."
Dott also made sexual advances towards him in a car.
When asked by Advocate Depute Lindsey Dalziel where he was kissed, the victim replied: "On my head, on my face, on my lips."
Both victims told the court they received gifts from Dott at the time of his abuse.
The woman said she was once given a teddy, which had a love heart on it that read "love me".
The man said he was gifted snacks and treats - including a £50 note - as a "reward strategy", and as a result now has an aversion to Thai chilli crisps, Irn-Bru and Dove soap.
The victim said the smell of Dove now gives him "PTSD flashbacks".
Read more from the trial:
Snooker champion sex abuse trial begins
Woman denies saying 'I'm going to be rich'
Dott brands allegations 'disgusting'
Dott refuted each of the allegations while testifying in his own defence.
When accused by the prosecutor of being "sexually attracted" to the girl while she was in primary school, he replied: "Disgusting."
He also denied repeatedly abusing the boy in the shower, stating: "No, it didn't happen."
He told the court: "I've never acted inappropriately towards anybody."
Jurors returned their guilty verdict on Monday.
Judge Lord Harrower deferred sentence for the preparation of a criminal justice social work report.
Dott was remanded in custody meantime and will be sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh on 29 September.
Detective Inspector Gary Smillie branded Dott a "dangerous individual".
The Police Scotland officer added: "I hope this conviction provides some measure of comfort to those impacted by his crimes."
Sky News questioned DI Smillie on why it took more than 20 years for the first victim's allegations to be taken seriously.
He replied: "I'm not going to comment on the decisions that were made 20 years ago in relation to when that individual came forward.
"However, what I will say is that both [victims] have shown significant strength in coming forward with their accounts and ultimately that has led to the conviction today."
Dott turned professional in 1994 and went on to win the World Snooker Championship in 2006, defeating Peter Ebdon in the final at the Crucible in Sheffield.
He also reached the final in both 2004, when he was beaten by Ronnie O'Sullivan, and 2010, losing out to Australian Neil Robertson.
Dott was suspended from competition by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) when the court charges were announced in April 2025.