Leaving Foster Care or Local Authority Care

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• Author:UK Government
• Published:June 2022
• Country:

Leaving foster care or local authority care

Your local council must provide you with support until you’re 25. When you are leaving foster care or local authority care there’ll be a meeting to help you work out what you’re going to do next.

At age 16 – What happens when you are leaving foster care or local authority care: You’ll be given a plan to help you make the transition from care to independent living.
At age 18 – What happens when you are leaving foster care or local authority care: You’re no longer in care when you turn 18 but your council must still provide you with some support, including a personal adviser and plan.
At age 21 – What happens when you are leaving foster care or local authority care: You can continue to get help and advice from the council and a personal adviser until you’re 25 if you want to What the council must do to help you.

The council must

• Give you a personal adviser who stays in touch with you once you’ve left care.
• Carry out an assessment to find out what advice and support you need – they must also prepare a plan to make this happen (called a ‘pathway plan’) make sure you’ve got somewhere to live and enough money (until you turn 18).
• Help you to continue living with your foster parent if you want to (until you turn 21).

Discussing your future when you are leaving foster care or local authority care

If you’re leaving care you’ll have a ‘statutory review meeting’ to discuss your future, including what support you’ll need.

Things to consider before your meeting

These things will be discussed at your statutory review meeting:

• where you’re going to live (you can move somewhere where personal support and advice are always available if you want to).
• if you’re going to work, get training or continue in education.
• how much support do you think you’ll need from your social worker or personal adviser.

Who should be at your statutory review meeting concerning leaving foster care or local authority care

The following people should be at the meeting:

• You
• An advocate, if you ask for one (an adult you choose who can help you explain things)
• Your social worker
• Your carers
• Any other people responsible for supporting you (like a mentor or a member of staff from your school or college)
• An Independent Reviewing Officer (a neutral person appointed to make sure everything’s done properly)

Complaining about your statutory review meeting

You can make a formal complaint if you’re not happy with how your meeting went. Your social worker or personal adviser from the leaving care service and the Independent Reviewing Officer must tell you how to do this.

When you reach 16

Your local council must write a ‘pathway plan’ when you reach 16 which helps you prepare for leaving care and says what support you should get.
It must include plans for your:

• Health.
• Education, training and development.
• Contact with family.
• Financial management.

• At least every 6 months.
• If you ask for one.
• If your personal adviser or the council asks for one.

Read the government’s full advice on Supporting you in education, Setting up home allowances, and Finding work and Benefits on the government website ttps://www.gov.uk/leaving-foster-or-local-authority-care