The government announced pilot projects designed to explore how best to give young people in care a greater say over whether they moved out into independent flats or hostels once they reached the age of 16, or instead stayed in care until they were 18.
Source: Press release 4 October 2007, Department for Children, Schools and Families (0870 000 2288)
Links: DCSF press release | Community Care report
Date: 2007-Oct
A report said that the level of support that young people in Scotland experienced on leaving care was variable. Certain kinds of services, such as supported accommodation, appeared to be more effective than accommodation with less access to on-site support. The ability to sustain tenancies was affected by high costs and expenses, too little support, loneliness, and a lack of independent living skills.
Source: Susan Elsley, Kathryn Backett-Milburn and Lynn Jamieson, Review of Research on Vulnerable Young People and Their Transitions to Independent Living, Scottish Executive (web publication only)
Links: Report
Date: 2007-Aug
The Court of Appeal overturned a High Court judgement that a girl (aged 17) was not eligible for accommodation as a looked-after child because she had accepted a place in a hostel for homeless women on leaving custody in a secure training centre. The local council had 'sidestepped' its responsibilities under the Children Act 1989 to accommodate the girl, who was estranged from both her parents, by arranging the hostel placement and encouraging her to declare herself homeless.
Source: S v London Borough of Sutton, Court of Appeal 26 July 2007
Links: Text of judgement | HLPR press release | Community Care report
Date: 2007-Jul
A report said that almost 1 in 6 young people leaving care were placed in unsuitable and sometimes unsafe accommodation where they experienced harassment and discrimination.
Source: Home Alone: Housing and support for young people leaving care, Rainer (01959 578200)
Links: Report | Rainer press release | Community Care report | Young People Now report | Guardian report
Date: 2007-Apr
A study compared the experiences of care leavers with those of other young people who had had difficulties in life (such as homelessness, drug addiction, offending behaviour, learning/physical disabilities) but who had not been in local authority care. Care leavers were doing better in terms of access to housing, educational participation, being in employment, and self-assessment of their health and well-being.
Source: Claire Cameron, Kristina Bennert, Antonia Simon and Valerie Wigfall, Using Health, Education, Housing and Other Services: A study of care leavers and young people in difficulty, Research Report TCRU-01-07, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Brief
Date: 2007-Mar