leaving care

On 25 March 2008, the Commissioner for Children and Young People in Scotland laid before the Scottish Parliament a report called Sweet 16? The Age of Leaving Care in Scotland. It was debated on 25 June 2008. The Scottish Government has responded positively to most of the report’s recommendations, which are attached as an appendix to this paper, together with a short summary of the full report.

The University of York was commissioned by the Scottish Executive to undertake a two-year study of the way local authorities are discharging their duties and powers under the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 to promote throughcare and aftercare for looked after young people. This final report is based on the findings of data from the national postal survey of thirty-one Scottish local authorities and other agencies involved in the provision of throughcare and aftercare.

Provides the detailed oral and written evidence presented to the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee session on looked after children. The session aimed to investigate the performance of the care system in England, consider whether the Governments proposals for reform were soundly based, and to find out whether the Care Matters programme would be effective in helping looked after children. A summary of the findings are provided in Volume I.

As young people leave care they face a variety of challenges. Some meet and overcome these challenges, yet others struggle. This review found a gap in the literature on resilience among young people leaving care. It therefore draws upon research studies completed in the last twenty years which have captured the experiences, views and reflections of the young people themselves.

The role of the designated manager for looked after children and young people in schools was established following the publication of the Learning With Care report in 2001. Having a designated manager in educational establishments and developing a reciprocal role in residential child care establishments is central to improving educational outcomes. This Scottish Government guidance is aimed at assisting designated managers in discharging their responsibilities to looked after children, young people and care leavers.

To explore the issues that care leavers face with the benefits system, at the request of the DCSF and the Children’s Minister, Delyth Morgan, NCAS organised a stakeholder seminar and conducted a scoping exercise in the sector. This report outlines the priority themes and solutions that emerged from this work.

Report summarising the findings of a study which explored the attitudes and aspirations of young people who had been permanently excluded form school, those from ethnic minority groups and those leaving local authority care. The study's purpose was to use this data to help identify unseen barriers to success facing these young people.

Report that makes important recommendations both to improve current services and to enhance provision in the future regarding the duty of local authorities to provide support to young people leaving care and making the transition from the care system to independent adult living.

Scottish Government guidance to councils and their community planning partners on how to improve outcomes for looked after children and young people and care leavers, through better fulfilling their corporate parent function.