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Children Leaving Care
A child ceases to be in the care of the local authority when he or she is either returned to his or her parents after a period of voluntary accommodation or, where the child has been the subject of a care order, the order is either discharged or by reason of age. A care order automatically comes to an end when the child reaches 18 years. Until a child reaches 18 the responsible local authority should ensure that they have ‘suitable’ accommodation. A child’s wishes in relation to their accommodation will be relevant.
When a child in care reaches 16 their social worker should work with them to produce a ‘pathway plan’ for the child. The pathway plan should cover accommodation, education financial and personal needs, and should cover the next five years (ie until the child is 21). The authority has ongoing duties in relation to education, training and work. The authority should consider whether the child needs assistance buying books, equipment or clothing, help with fares, field trips, registration and exam fees,
