Media Release

Tuesday 17^th June

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

This pilot scheme will give young people in foster families a chance to stay on in their foster families past the age of 18.

 Ten areas will be given a share of almost £5 million. This funding will give children in care the chance to benefit from a stable family placement so that they only move to independent living when they feel properly prepared and ready. This will allow children in care to make the transition to adulthood in a more gradual way, just like other young people who rely on their families for this type of support. 

Parliamentary Undersecretary for Children Kevin Brennan said: “Children in care have told us that they want the same sort of stability that other children have – and some of them need help and support beyond the age of 18 in order to make the transition into adulthood.  

“On average, young people don’t leave home until they are 24. Given the poor outcomes that children in care have historically had, it is important that these young people get the support they need to remain in employment, education or training. They shouldn’t have to cope on their own when they have to make big decisions about their future.” 

The Staying Put Pilots will help develop a better understanding of the possible practical and financial barriers that could arise, where foster carers provide support to young adults from a care background. These could involve such issues as legal insurance and the tax status of these carers. During the piloting period we will develop and test practical solutions to these and other problems that emerge so that by the next spending review period a model will be in place that will enable as many young people as possible to benefit from remaining with their foster carers.  

There will be an independent evaluation of the pilots, which will run from July 2008 to March 2011.  

The pilots are part of the Government’s Care Matters agenda that set out a number of key areas in which to help ease the transition from care to adult life. Alongside these pilots, the Government has already announced the £6 million Right2BCared4 pilots, which give young people up to the age of 18 a greater say over when they move to independence. 

Notes to Editors:

1. The authorities holding these pilots are: Bristol; Cheshire; Dorset; Lincolnshire; Merton; Northamptonshire; North Tyneside; North Yorkshire; Warwickshire and York.
2. The Staying Put 18+ Family Placement pilots were first set up in the Care Matters Green Paper and later confirmed in the White Paper, Care Matters: Time for Change
3. DCSF Press Release
4. Children and Young Person Bill

For more information contact:

Tim Windle

Telephone: 0207 219 3572

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