To ask what happens to a looked after child after the age of 16?

[hotoyo]

Are there any care leavers or social workers or foster carers that can share their insight on what happens to a looked after child after the age of 16?

They are in a foster placement and will not go back to birth parents.

It will be insensitive to ask them directly and I assume they will have a pathway plan to see them through the next couple of years, but can someone with wider knowledge and expertise give me a brief summary of what it looks like to leave care?

How long can they stay with the foster family after the age of 16?
If in a low paid job how will they manage independently living and the costs associated?
18 seems really young for someone to be in the big wide world on their own, so are there options to stay in care after 18?

Thank you.

Leaving foster or local authority care

From the gov.uk website.

I work in a children’s home.

They stay until they are 18 then are given a flat and budget for furniture and help claiming benefits.

They keep their social worker.

They’re not just chucked out onto the street.

Thank you this is the kind of information I had found online but I still don't know.

They have a lot of support until 21 I think with access to continued support until 25. We used to know a care leaver who had a support worker visit twice weekly, help with setting "grown up thing" like insurance etc. They were early 20s and no disabilities.

I think it varies hugely dependant on area.

That's helpful to know they are not left to their own devices. It must be a daunting time for someone 16-18ish in the care system.

When local authorities are inspected, one of the things that is specifically looked at is how they support young people leaving care.

Sometimes you'll find that instead of being in a children's home until they're 18, from 16 they may be moved into 'supported accommodation', which is sort of a halfway system designed to help young people finding their way into living independently.

There are no major changes at 16, the main difference is at 16 they are deemed to be able to make decisions for themselves (eg medical) unless proven otherwise (mental capacity)

The other difference at 16 &17 is if they want to, they can be considered for semi independent accommodation - this is more like a house share with support, and any good authority would discourage a teenager from going that route unless it was unavoidable (eg foster placement breakdown) because it is a lot of responsibility at that age like you say.

At 18, the responsibility for social services to provide accommodation ends, unless they meet the (very high) threshold for adult care (eg severe disabilities) Foster carers are encouraged to allow ex foster children to stay under 'staying put' arrangements though not all foster carers offer this.
There will be a pathway plan between ages of 16-18 to look at options post 18, including applying for council housing and benefits if/when necessary, and if they might be going on to university. From 18 they're entitled to a support worker rather than a social worker, how good that support is varies a lot across different authorities really.

It might be worth looking up the Ofsted report for the area where they live, they are publicly available and will tell you about how good the local offer is for that age group where you are.

I worked as a homeless officer for a l/a. As a corporate parent once the young person reached the age of 18 then they were housed. They still received support from children's services.

@NewGreenDuck true, and I should probably have added in my post that it's the social services responsibility that ends re accommodation, but that young people leaving care are given additional priority for council housing

Really helpful and interesting information thank you. I think I read that a quarter of homeless people have experienced care.

Children remain in care until aged 18 (unless discharge themselves from care, if S20, voluntary care or their care order is revoked). Post 18 the options generally are staying put arrangements (where they can remain living with their foster carer until aged 21, if they are in agreement), university with additional support for accomodation costs during school holidays, or supported/independent living arrangements (the level of support varies depending on the needs of the young person, the provider etc), many other young people will gravitate back to family members post 18 (and before). If they are in care when they are 16 and were in care for 13 weeks they will be eligible for care leaver support post 18 until they are 25 and will have a personal advisor allocated to them if they wish (they do not have to engage with this service and support). Most local authorities will have a setting up home grant, priority housing etc. You can look up the care leaver offer for your LA which shows what the financial/support offer is, should be on their website.