Leaving Care

Leaving Care

The Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Act 2014 says that RCT must promote a young person’s well-being even when they stop looking after the young person.

There are 6 different groups (or categories) of young people who can get support, and each group has different rights.

GROUP 1(YOUNG PERSON LOOKED AFTER AGED 16 OR 17)

This is somebody who is still being looked after and who was looked after on or after their 16th birthday and has been looked after for more than 13 weeks since their 14th birthday.

GROUP 2 (CARE LEAVER UNDER 18)

This is a young person aged 16 or 17 years old who is no longer looked after but who was looked after for more than 13 weeks after their 14th birthday (including on or after their 16th birthday).

GROUP 3 (CARE LEAVER AGED 18 OR OVER)

This is somebody aged 18 – 21 who was looked after for more than 13 weeks after their 14th birthday (including on or after their 16th birthday).

GROUP 4: RECONNECTS TO CARE FOR EDUCATION OR TRAINING PURPOSES)

This is somebody who is aged 21 – 25 who has told RCT that he or she is following or wants to follow, a programme of education or training.

GROUP 5: YOUNG PERSON WHO LEFT CARE UNDER A SPECIAL GUARDIANSHIP ORDER.

This is somebody who has reached the age of 16 (but who isn’t yet 21) who is or was subject to a Special Guardianship Order when he or she reached 18, and who was looked after immediately before the Order was made

GROUP 6: YOUNG PERSON WHO DID NOT QUALIFY AS A CARE LEAVER

This is a young person aged 16 to 21 who does not fit into any of the groups above but spent at least 3 months away from their family as a 16 or 17 year old because: they were looked after by the council or they were in a private children’s home or they were living in accommodation provided by the NHS or the council in an education setting, or they were with private foster carers.

WHAT IS EACH GROUP ENTITLED TO?

Young people in Groups 1, 2, 3 and 4 must have a Personal Advisor, at least until they have finished full time education.

Young people in Groups 2, 3 and 4 should have a Plan that says what support and advice they need. RCT must make sure anyone in Group 2 has enough money to live, a suitable place to live and enough support.

RCT must support young adults in Group 3 by helping with the cost of living near their job, or where they are looking for a job or helping with the cost of living near education or training or making a grant towards education or training costs or helping with the young adult’s well-being

RCT must make sure young people in Group 3 who go away to University or College have somewhere to live in the holidays.

RCT must help young adults in Group 4 until they leave education or training.

Some people in Group 5 and Group 6 will need help from RCT. RCT can help with living costs, education or training costs or may provide support towards accommodation.