FtSE Member News: TACT wholeheartedly welcomes the Education Select Committee report on 16+ care options

The inquiry was launched because of concerns about the level and quality of support and care provided for older adolescents. The inquiry found that too many looked after young people moving into to semi-independent or independent living at the age of 16 or 17 are  placed in a home that is neither safe nor suitable.

A copy of the Education Select Committee report can be found here

Echoing comments made by TACT earlier this week, the report states that “looked after young people’s move to adulthood needs to be a supported transition into independence rather than an abrupt step out of care,” and identifies a number of concrete steps that need to be taken to improve 16 plus care options. These include:

• Establishing a reasonable time-frame for outright ban on the use of B&Bs for young people
• Until a ban is in force, local authorities to report to the DfE on their use of B&B accommodation for looked  after young people
• Stronger regulation for all 16+ accommodation
• Extending Staying Put to residential children’s homes
• Stronger voice and choice for young people as they move to independence
• Leaving care services to be extended to the age of 25, without exception
• A duty upon local authorities to ensure that a young person’s transition out of care is also postponed until after the end of an academic year following a given birthday.
• Clearer and stronger guidance to the effect that local authorities consider, as a first option, carers and professionals with whom a young person has an established relationships as a Personal Adviser.

In particular, we welcome the further recognition of the principle established by the Care Inquiry, of which TACT was a member, that relationships are the golden thread running through young people’s lives, and that we must encourage & support the relationships that matter the most to young people as they move to independence.

Source:http://tactcare.org.uk/news/tact-wholeheartedly-welcomes-the-education-select-committee-report-on-16-care-options/

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