Guidance on Part 11 (Continuing Care) of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014

Explains the new provision of Continuing Care introduced by Part 11 of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014.


In Summary

The age at which looked after young people leave care in Scotland remains a key factor in ensuring a successful transition and achieving positive outcomes throughout life. Care leavers continue to become independent and are expected to look after themselves much sooner than their same-age peers. (Housing Options and Care Leavers, Improving Outcomes into Adulthood [15] , CELCIS July 2015).

Staying Put in nurturing positive relationships through a Continuing Care placement is a key factor in helping young people and local authorities achieve successful and sustained interdependence for young people ceasing to be looked after.

Continuing Care enables young people to retain a day-to-day relationship with their carer, and an on-going relationship with the local authority and other corporate parents (see Part 9 (Corporate Parenting) of the 2014 Act). In this sense, Continuing Care is about facilitating relationship-based practice with young people, and providing them with a continued feeling of belonging, permanence and stability to support and prepare them as they transition towards interdependency.

The Scottish Government is clear that a looked after young person should be allowed to remain in their care placement until the time is right for them to move on with a suitable care plan in place. Local authorities should work within the enabling spirit of legislation to provide caring environments for all looked after young people as they transition to inter-dependent living at a time and pace that suits them.

It is counterproductive to focus on what legislation enables a care leaver's needs to be met as legislation will not cover all eventualities. The priority must be that all looked after children will have a care plan that meets their individual circumstances and allows them to remain in their care placement if at all possible.

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