Looked after children are amongst the most vulnerable in society. They have experienced adversity in their family life at a level which necessitated the involvement of social services, resulting in the local authority taking on parental responsibility, and usually their removal from the family home. These children are known to do worse than their peers across many domains, including education, mental health, and social support. Fewer studies have considered later adulthood, and how the adversities faced by people who experience being in care as children persist or change over time. A minority of children are adopted from care, with the aim of giving them a permanent new family. Few studies have compared outcomes in adults who were adopted to those who remained looked after.