Leaving Care
The Children Leaving Care Act 2000 aims to improve outcomes for young people in and leaving care.
The Act states that this can be achieved through effective assessment leading to improved planning and preparation for each young person preparing to leave care. The Act also outlines the improved personal and financial support that should be available to young people leaving care.
A young person can leave care at any time after their 16th birthday.
Personal Advisors
Every young person leaving care will be given a personal advisor to offer them support and advice and make sure they get the help they need. This help can be in the form of practical advice and support, and may come from different agencies.
The personal advisor will be a worker from the Leaving Care Team. They must have regular contact with the young person until they reach 21 years of age. If the young person is in education then the advisor must keep in touch until the course ends or they reach 24 years of age.
The Pathway Plan
Before a looked after person turns 16, they must draw up a Pathway Plan with their personal advisor, which will outline a clear pathway to their independence.
The plan should show the young person’s aims for the future and will therefore set out the support and assistance the young person should receive and who will provide it, including approximate dates. The personal advisor will arrange this support alongside our partner agencies.
The Pathway Plan should be updated at least every six months and should include:
- If the young person needs any personal support
- Where they plan to live
- Any education and training they want to do
- What career they want to pursue
- What their family and social relationships are like
- What practical and other skills they have
- What financial support they might need
Eligibility and Entitlement to leaving care support
Related pages:
Information for practitioners:
External websites:
- Children Leaving Care Act
- Children's Services Directory
- National Youth Advocacy Service
- Children's Legal Centre
- The 'Who Cares?' Trust
- Every Child Matters
Contact us:
Leaving Care Team
2nd floor, New Town House
Buttermarket Street
Warrington, WA1 2NJ
Tel: 01925 444238
Email: mgregory@warrington.gov.uk
