Most children in state care do not do as well in school as their peers, but the period of leaving care and transition to adulthood may offer a "turning point" for positive change. Based on a small study of care leavers in England, this article employs the concept of resilience to explore the significance of supportive relationships in enabling this group of young people to make decisions about their future and encouraging them to overcome setbacks in educational attainment. (Contains 1 table.)