Fostering young people can be a balancing act between looking after them and helping them to become more independent. Regardless of the age of the young person, they need to start developing the skills they need to grow their independence, and should be encouraged to take responsibilities when they are able to do so.
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Leaving care
Foster carers can support young people to learn skills which develop their independence. Foster carers can do this by encouraging or teaching them to:
- Open a bank account, and how to budget and manage their money and savings
- Undertake self-care and develop healthy life habits
- Buy healthy food, cook it, and store it
- Use appliances such as a washing machine and iron
- Undertake housework, including cleaning and home maintenance
- Think about their futures. What do they want to do? Do they want to seek employment or further training or education, and how can they achieve this?
- Access advice/ support from others, such as making a GP appointment or making a job application
- Find and pursue leisure activities and other interests
Statutory requirements
The statutory definition and requirements that require the local authority to stay in touch with the young person, undertake a needs assessment prepare, keep the Pathway Plan under review, appoint a Personal Adviser and provide accommodation and assistance to meet their needs in relation to education, training or employment, are covered by Regulations 4 to 9, 42, 43 and 44 of the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010. See also the government guidance on leaving foster care.
Eligibility for services
All young people who are over 16 and leaving care fall within one of the following categories: 1. eligible child; 2. relevant child; 3. former relevant child; 4. other qualifying care leavers
- Eligible Young People: They are aged 16 or 17, have been Looked After for a period or periods totaling at least 13 weeks starting after their 14th birthday and ending at least one day after their 16th birthday, and are still in care. (This total does not include a series of preplanned short-term placements of up to four weeks where the child has returned to the parent). There is a duty to support these young people up to the age of 18, wherever they are living. The statutory definitions and requirements to undertake a needs assessment, prepare a Pathway Plan, keep the Pathway Plan under review and appoint a Personal Adviser are covered by the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000.
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Qualifying Young People: They are aged 16 and over and under the age of 21 (up to 25 if in education), and Subject to a Special Guardianship Order (or were when they reached 18) and were looked after immediately before the making of that Order, at any time after 16 (but whilst still a child), were (but no longer are) looked after, accommodated, or fostered.
A needs assessment must be completed within 3 months of becoming an ‘eligible child’ or ‘relevant child’. A needs assessment should involve the young person and anyone with parental responsibility and consider: health needs, education or training, accommodations and financial support, race religion and culture and family relationships. The young person should receive a written statement including any time table and the procedure to follow in the event of disagreement.
For further information on all 4 definitions and how this impacts on the local authorities duties, see here.
Leaving care
We have a range of resources to support you to help children in your care as they approach leaving care, including information on the different accommodation options, Staying Put, and the support they are entitled to.
