National pilot helps young people in care to stay put
Warwickshire’s young care leavers have more options than ever before to help them make the right decisions for their future now a government scheme has been officially launched in the county.
The Staying Put 18+ Family Placement scheme was launched on Tuesday 12 May at a special event in Warwick. Warwickshire County Council is one of ten local authorities chosen to pilot the Department for Children, Schools and Families’ scheme which form part of the government’s Care Matters agenda.
The scheme aims to improve opportunities for looked-after young adults by easing their transition from care to adult life. It aims to do this through provision of a package of care for young adults and carers which will enable teenagers to continue living with their carers up to the age of 21.
To deliver the pilot the local authority has been working in partnership with children’s charity Barnardo’s, an arrangement unique to Warwickshire. The council’s foster care team and social workers will be linked with a newly appointed Staying Put Support Worker from Barnardo’s to ensure carers and young adults involved in the scheme are fully supported.
The launch event was attended by a number of young people, foster carers as well as professionals working with children and young people in the county. The event programme featured some thought-provoking speeches from the county council, Barnardo’s and DCSF, as well as insights from a care leaver and foster carer.
Their words pushed home some clear messages about the commitment in the county to provide the best for looked after young people and demonstrated the enormous value of the Staying Put package to young adults and their carers.
Marion Davis, Warwickshire County Council’s Strategic Director of Children Young People and Families said: “I’m very proud that Warwickshire has been chosen to pilot this programme which will help provide vital support to young people during a crucial time in their lives.
“We recognise that not all young people are ready to live independently at the age of 18 and, providing their carers are willing, this pilot offers the option to extend their care up to 21.
“Our participation offers us the opportunity to build upon and improve our work with looked after young people and the lessons we learn throughout the duration of the pilot will be shared with other local authorities to help influence the development of national policy.”
In addition to ‘staying put’ in foster care with their carers’ agreement, young people involved in the scheme will benefit from a range of support. This includes; help to plan for independence and find accommodation, one to one support from young person advisors, recruitment of more Staying Put carers and an out of hours helpline.
On average, young people in the community do not leave their family home until they are 24, while most looked after children leave foster care either on or before their 18th birthday. Some Warwickshire children have remained lodging with their carers into adulthood and the Staying Put 18+ Family Placement will offer more young people similar opportunities.
This scheme dovetails with Warwickshire’s Right2bCared4, another government pilot that was officially launched last year to provide support for young people to stay in foster care placements up to the age of 18.