Source · Select Committees · Education Committee
Recommendation 53
53
Accepted
Paragraph: 126
The current lack of statutory support for young people leaving residential care is deeply unjust.
Conclusion
The current lack of statutory support for young people leaving residential care is deeply unjust. The Department’s own evidence rightly acknowledges the “cliff- edge” transition from residential care to independent living at age 18. Staying Close offers a chance to fix this and the pilot has shown promising results including 75% reduction in eviction rates, 50% reduction in the proportion of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) and 55% increase in reported emotional well-being. A national rollout would end the current postcode lottery of support for young people leaving residential care, supporting care leavers to stay in their local areas where they have put down roots.
Government Response Summary
The government has announced funding of £36 million over the next 3 years to extend the Staying Close programme and has asked the What Work’s Centre for Children’s Social Care (WWCSC) to evaluate its effectiveness.
Paragraph Reference:
126
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
130. We have recently announced funding of £36 million over the next 3 years to extend the Staying Close programme so that more care leavers leaving children’s homes get move-on accommodation and support from a trusted adult–providing stability and a safety net into adulthood. 131. We have asked the What Work’s Centre for Children’s Social Care (WWCSC) to evaluate the effectiveness of the ‘Staying Close’ residential care programme. Initial evaluations of the programme suggest participating young people benefit from: • access to improved housing options, and reduced eviction rates; • higher levels of participation in education, employment, or training (EET); • improved independent living skills, wellbeing, and relationship management skills. The WWCSC evaluation will consider how Staying Close can be implemented most effectively and its cost effectiveness for local authorities, to inform further roll-out. The first part of the evaluation will be published in late spring 2023. 132. Young people leaving care have a ‘statutory review meeting’ to discuss their future, including where they’re going to live, so we would expect options like Staying Close, where available, to be discussed at that. Staying Close is currently a voluntary programme available in some areas which care leavers can choose to participate in. The care review recommended that Staying Close should be a legal entitlement up to the age of 23 with an ‘opt-out’ rather than ‘opt-in’ expectation. The government will respond to this, and the other recommendations for care experienced young people, including those around improving access to apprenticeships and well-paid jobs, in the comprehensive implementation strategy.