Agenda item

The Committee to consider information on the  transition process for young people leaving care. Report to follow

The Committee noted that the Leaving in Care service were working with 327 young people who have  left care , 70 of whom were former unaccompanied minors, 50  of whom were young parents . The Committee noted that work will begin on a pathway plan for a young person in care at 16  and continues until the  young person  has permanently left the care of the council.  Reviews of the plan  will take place every 6 months. There is currently a lot of endevor to ensure   that accommodation for the care leaver is suitable. Also, young people will be nominated to the Housing service for permanant placements once they reach the age of 18 and are living in the borough.  The support needs of care leavers was discussed and how unaccompanied minors will face even  more difficult options if their status in the country is unconfirmed. The impact of the new welfare benefit reforms on care leavers was not widely understood by all local authorities as this had not yet been set out by  the Government. For example,  they were not set out as a vulnerable group and  it was unknown  whether payments for rents  can still be made directly to the landlord for care leavers.  The Head of Leaving Care would be meeting with Housing  services to discuss further the benefit changes and will continue to  work with young people on budgeting and give advice on the benefits that they can claim.  They were also working with the local jobcentres to identify employment opportunities for care leavers.

 Members of the Committee also asked that care leavers are informed about the availability of their local  ward councillor to speak to about issues such as   help with finding employment or accessing benefits.

The Head of Leaving Care  highlighted the gap in the provision for young people that have significant support needs but do not meet the thresholds for adult services. Although support to care leavers should stop at the age of 21 if the young person is not in education or  training, in reality some support continues as  often young people will be unsure where to go  in their local community to get support and will revert back to seeking help form the leaving care service. This situation was challenging as support workers had increased case work loads. However the service were trying to help young people become established in their local communities  and seek support of local services  . The Committee  found it reassuring that these young people were no turned away  by the service. Indeed  Edward Timpson MP, had   recently highlighted Haringey’s leaving care service as an example to follow. The   Chair also illustrated  examples she had seen  of the  help  the  Leaving Care service provides care leavers that are going to university which was reassuring and demonstrated the practical aspects of  how the council’s  undertakes its corporate parenting role.

 As discussed in the previous informal meeting the views of Aspire and other representatives of  children in care and care leavers  would be sought on the care leaver’s charter.