leaving care

Report that gives the views of young people, mainly from among those who have left care, about their experience of care and leaving care. As well as looking at what young people have said, we have also tried to see whether they have been getting what the law says that they should be.

This report should give an important insight into how well the care system is doing for children and young people, and how it prepares them for their own future, through the eyes of those leaving care for independent adult life.

Summary report which reflects the views and experiences of young people from six pilot authorities (five operating the ‘pure familial’ model and one operating the ‘hybrid’ model).

The aims of the evaluation were to explore the role and contribution that staying put can make to promoting positive outcomes for young people, including:

The report sets out the facts about the experiences of these children and young people, both during their early years and as they progress through the care system.

Consumer Focus wished to undertake a research project to examine experiences of care leavers and to identify the barriers they face accessing a range of public services for the first time.

Last year, half of all young people going into care were over 10 years old. Many of these young people end up in care because relationships at home have fallen apart. Other young people remain at home but in family situations that are close to breaking point. Others leave home, ending up ‘sofa surfing’ or in hostels. Some become involved in the criminal justice system as a result of their behaviour.

This report looks at ways to support families to keep young people out of care and out of trouble.

This video is taken from the What Works: Putting Research into Practice conference held in Edinburgh, Surgeons Hall on the 17th March 2010. It shows the interview of Miles Rinaldi on how inter-agency co-operation is crucial to the successful vocational rehabilitation of those with mental health problems.

This publication contains statistics on children who were looked after by or eligible for aftercare services from local authorities in Scotland between 1st April 2008 and 31st March 2009.

The Department of Health (DH) asked the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) and the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) to produce joint guidance on improving the physical and emotional health and wellbeing of looked-after children and young people. The guidance is for all those who have a direct or indirect role in, and responsibility for, promoting the quality of life of looked-after children and young people.

The regulations and guidance for local authorities on the services - advice, guidance and assistance - they must provide for young people who are ceasing to be looked after.

A literature review carried out by the University of Edinburgh in August 2007 which found that most young people move on from being looked after at 16 or 17 years; this tends to be an abrupt transition which has been referred to as 'accelerated and compressed', further impacting on other aspects of their lives such as education, relationships and health and well-being.