Policy and Consultations
What is suitable accommodation for care leavers: Survey report
One of the new elements in the draft guidance and regulations relating to support for young people in and from care is a list of questions that local authorities should ask to determine whether a young person’s accommodation [in an unregulated setting] can be considered suitable or not (Schedule 6 of Care planning regulations). The National Care Advisory Service (NCAS) conducted a quick online survey with care experienced young people and those that support them to find out what they thought is suitable accommodation for care leavers, using the list of questions in the regulations and additional issues highlighted through our work on accommodation for care leavers. Despite a short deadline for responses 93 people responded to the survey. This report summarises the findings.
Recommendations: We have forwarded this to the DCSF to help inform their redrafting of the guidance and regulations on Care planning and Planning transitions to adulthood. As you will see in the report there are our recommendations based on the findings of the survey focus on three areas:
- Expand the list in schedule 6 and add additional cateogory of 'affordability'
- Clarity on the process for checking suitability for care leavers: the need for practice guidance
- Link to statistics
Young people’s forums feed into consultation on national minimum standards for fostering and children’s homes
In December 2009 the consultation on national minimum standards for adoption, fostering and children’s homes (NMS) closed. NCAS submitted a response centred around support for young people’s transition from care, which was developed with the young people we work with through our regional forums – representing five local authorities in West Midlands and eight in Yorkshire and Humberside.
We focussed specifically on the standards around the child for fostering and children's homes and more particularly Standard 12 - “Promoting independence and moves to adulthood and leaving care.
What are the NMS? | What we said in our response to the NMS
NCAS highlights care leavers issues in reponse to select committee inquiry on NEETs
NCAS have responded to the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee inquiry on young people not in education, training and employment (NEET). We highlighted the importance of care and leaving care services in supporting with care leavers who are NEET, the work of the From Care2Work initiative and issues with the benefits system for this group.
Read our submission on the Select comittee website
NCAS responds to the New Horizons consultation on the future of adult mental health services
The Government consultation New Horizons in Mental Health aims to help come up with an approach to make services for adults with mental health problems better in the future, and to help everyone have better mental health. The consultation did not cover children and adolescent mental health services. However it did consider how transitions for young people could be better supported. One of the suggestions in the consultation is to create a Youth Mental Health service, which would work with young people between 14-25. In our response we supported this recommendation and highlighted some of the ways in which such a service could work with services for young people in and from care.
NCAS consultation response
Download NCAS New Horizon consultation response
Care and prejudice: a report of children’s experience
This children’s rights director report highlights young people’s views of life in care. It includes their views on the best and worst things about being in care and how they believe other people perceive care experienced young people. This report highlighted young people’s perception of the stigma associated with being in care.
You can also download a summary of the report written by Stephen Norman, Participation worker at NCAS
NCAS briefing on G vs. Southwark
This NCAS briefing looks at a recent (May 2009) Law Lords judgment: G vs. Southwark, which considered how local authorities support homeless 16 and 17-year-olds. The briefing explains the facts of the case, current law, the ruling and concludes by considering the implications for practice.
NCAS briefing on Law Lords judgment
Supporting care leavers and workforce reform
NCAS response to the Social work taskforce call for evidence
NCAS responded to the Social Work Taskforce call for evidence to emphasise the role of leaving care and young people views on social work and the support they receive.
NCAS believes that it is central that good corporate parenting is embedded into the reform of social work. We are concerned that an overemphasis on safeguarding could lead to inadequate structures for supporting children and young people whilst they are in and moving on from care. Corporate parenting is about more than keeping children safe from harm; it is about ensuring that young people in and from care are given the support and opportunities needed to achieve their aspirations and the tools to lead fulfilling adult lives. It will be essential that social work reform recognises the specific skills social workers performing the personal adviser function for care leavers need, and that it ensures consistency of the personal adviser role by joining up proposals with the youth workforce reforms proposed by the CWDC, as some personal advisers are not qualified social workers and would be covered by this programme of reform.
Briefing on Comprehensive Area Assessments
This new NCAS briefing provides an overview of the new framework for assessing local services and how this affects services for young people moving on from local authority care. Comprehensive Area Assessments and Care leavers - a briefing on the new local authority inspection framework
Children’s Schools and Families Committee report on looked after children.
Following a year of hearing evidence from sector specialists, including Martin Hazlehurst and John Hill from NLCAS/WMTD (now NCAS - the National Care Advisory Service), the report sets out over 70 conclusions and recommendations around improving provision for children and young people in and from care.
We are delighted that the committee has listened to many of our concerns about leaving care, such as the inadequacies in support for young people with disabilities, and welcome the recommendations.
News item: Select committee recommends changes in policy for care leavers
Young people leaving care (accommodation) bill
This Private Members’ Bill, which has been introduced under the Ten Minute Rule by Helen Southworth (Lab, Warrington South), makes provision for the application of minimum accommodation standards for young people leaving care. Introducing the Bill in the House of Commons in March, Ms Southworth rejected claims that her Bill is unnecessary because guidance on the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000 already requires local authorities to provide ‘suitable accommodation’. The National Care Advisory Service has been supporting this Bill.
Young people leaving care (accommodation) bill
Children and Young Person Act 2008
The Children and Young Persons Act came into force on 13 November 2008. It puts into legislation some of the provisions of the Care Matters White paper. This briefing details the main provision of the Children and Young Persons Act and has a particular focus on older young people in care and those making the transition from care.
Briefing on the new Children and Young Persons Act
NCAS responds to Ofsted Consultation about inspection of Children's Services
NCAS has responded to Ofsted's consultation"Comprehensive area assessment: proposals for assessing local authority services for children and young people". Our response highlighted the importance of involving young people in service assessments and to ensure that inspections cover leaving care services.
What is the consultation about
The Education and Inspections Act 2006 requires Ofsted to provide an annual performance rating for each council’s children’s services. This is currently undertaken through the annual performance assessment (APA) of councils’ services for children and young people. APA and Joint Area Reviews (JAR) of local children’s services come to an end in December 2008 and are replaced by Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA) which begins on 1 April 2009. The deadline for the consultation was 3 December 2008. Read NCAS response
Introduction to leaving care briefing
NCAS has published two new briefings that give an introduction to leaving care services and the issues faced by care leavers. The briefings are aimed at giving people working in related fields an initial introduction to leaving care. Follow the links to down load the short 3-page or longer 6-page briefing.
NCAS responds to Welfare reform consultation
NCAS has responded to 'No one written off' the DWP's consultation on proposed changes to the welfare system. Our response focuses on how to create positive employment and work experience opportunities for young people leaving care, reform of the 16 hour rule around housing benefit and education and opportunities for second chance learning. Read NCAS response to DWP welfare reform consultation.
Special guardianship briefing
This briefing on special guardianship confirms that young people subject to a Special Guardian ship Order must be considered as “persons qualifying for advice and assistance” under section 24, although local authorities have the power to provide a higher level of service.
The briefing contains the relevant provisions of: the Children Act 1989, as amended by the Adoption and Children Act 2002; the Special
Guardianship Guidance and Regulations 2005; and the Explanatory Notes to he Adoption and Children Bill and Act. The briefing also summarises the law in respect of entitlement to special guardianship support services, and concludes with a list of relevant documents for further information.
New guide on Joint working between housing and children's services
The purpose of this guide is to help the managers of Children's Services and Housing Authorities in both single tier and two tier authorities to plan and deliver changes for children, young people and families. It is aimed at senior managers in housing and children's services, read it here www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/goodpracticeguide
Children, Schools and Families Select Committee Inquiry into Looked after Children
The Parliamentary Select Committee for Children, Schools and Families are carrying out and Inquiry into Looked after Children. Their first report will be about the Children and Young Persons Bill, the second on wider issues affecting children in care. More information is available at http://www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees/csf/csfpn181207b.cfm
NLCAS and WMTD have submitted evidence to the Committee. Available here
Border and Immigration Paper on asylum seeking young people.
The Border and Immigration Agency have published their long awaited response to the Home Office consultation on young refugees and asylum seekers. A full briefing will be available in the March KeyNotes Policy Update. It is available here
Local Area Agreements (LAA)
To read the briefing on LAA and leaving care services click here
Children & Young Persons Bill
The Government promised in the White Paper to introduce legislation to take forward its proposals. The Children & Young Persons Bill had its first reading in the House of Lords on 14th November 2007. The following article, which first appeared in the November keynotes update, summarises the Bill.
Read the featured article- Children & Young Persons Bill summary here.
Update 20th February 2008The House of Lords completed the Committee Stage on 18th February. It is expected that all the Lords procedures will be completed by the end of March. It will then be considered by the House of Commons
Care Matters: Time for Change
On 21st June 2007, the Government launched its White Paper, Care Matters: Time for Change, which sets out measures to improve significantly the outcomes of children in care and care leavers. The document can be downloaded at: http://www.dfes.gov.uk/publications/timeforchange/index.shtml At the same time, it published the Time for Change Impact Statement, which includes the funds the Government is likely to provide to support the delivery of the different policies over 2008-11, this can be downloaded at: http://www.dfes.gov.uk/publications/timeforchange/docs/timeforchange_IA.pdf .
Read NLCAS comments here.
Read NLCAS summary here.
Care Matters - young people's response
The Government have published the responses from young people to Care Matters. This is the first step in their Next Steps process that will continue with a white paper later this year. The responses publication can be found at: http://www.dfes.gov.uk/publications/carematters/index.shtmlCare Matters - Green Paper
The National Leaving care Advisory Service, Action on Aftercare Consortium, What Makes the Difference? project and National Leaving Care Benchmarking Forum submitted a joint response to the Care Matters consultation.
Read NLCAS responses here.
Read NLCAS summary document here.
Read NLCAS press release on the publication of Care Matters here.
Care matters action log
Implementation of the Care Matters White Paper: Detailed Action Log (March 2008)
Planning Better Outcomes and Support for Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children
Home Office Consultation document on proposed changes to support for Unaccompanied asylum seeking children download. Response to the above Home Office consultation on support for UASC
AoAC, NLCAS and the What Makes The Difference? Project have submitted a collective response to the Home Office consultation document, Planning Better Outcomes and Support for Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children. It can be downloaded here. We would all agree that there is a need for improvement in the support and services for unaccompanied asylum seekers. However, the Home Office proposals showed a distinct lack of consistency with broader developments for all children in care and care leavers. Our response highlights the issues specific to the leaving-care sector. The Home Office suggest that the next steps to this consultation paper will be published some time in August.
Youth Matters
Youth Matters, the long awaited government green paper, was published on 18th July 2005. It was put out for consultation until 4th November 2005. You can read the National Leaving Care Advisory Service response to the Youth Matters Consultation here. The full green paper can be downloaded as a pdf file at: http://www.dfes.gov.uk/publications/youth You can also follow the government's next step at, www.dfes.gov.uk/hottopics Fostering Consultation
The government has announced plans to introduce minimum allowances for foster carers. You can read the NLCAS submission to the consultation in April 2006 click here. Or for more information, see the Fostering Network website at www.fostering.net. Following the consultation the Government announced that From April 2007, the national minimum allowance for a baby will be £100-116 per week, rising to £151-176 per week for an older teenager. See press release for more information: http://www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/news/?asset=News&id=43068NLCAS Policy Briefings
Throughcare briefing – This briefing looks at the concept of ‘throughcare’ which recognises that, rather than an event, leaving care is a process with no abrupt beginning or end. To read the briefing click hereAccommodation and support – This briefing looks at the needs of care leavers in accessing and maintaining safe, suitable and affordable accommodation. It outlines local authority responsibilities, corporate parenting principles and the multi-agency co-operation required if care leavers are to succeed in making successful transitions to independent living. To read the briefing click here
The Education, Training and Employment of young people leaving care - The purpose of this briefing is to provide an overview of the needs of care leavers in attaining educational, training and employment success. To read the briefing click here
Mental Health and Care leavers – This briefing aims to provide an understanding of issues relating to mental health and young people, with particular reference to looked-after children and those leaving care. To read the briefing click here