Recommendation 53

HM Government · verbatim extract Not Addressed

PLANS ALREADY IN PLACE The Department acknowledges the importance of robust data collection to improve outcomes for care-experienced young people. As set out below, the Department already records and monitors a range of data, which it will use to help address disparities. It will continue to monitor and assess the how existing datasets can be used to support policy development, whilst it is also looking at ways to improve data collection as part of this consideration. The Department for Education publishes post-16 destinations information in the publication ‘Outcomes for children in need, including children looked after by local authorities in England’ 1 . This records a broad range of education and employment destinations for children looked after, and the extent to which they are sustained. Higher education participation for children looked after continuously for 12 months or more and for care leavers is published in the publication ‘Widening participation in higher education’ 2 . Information on longer term outcomes is available from the Longitudinal Educational Outcomes (LEO) dataset which matches data from DWP, HMRC, JISC and DfE includes data on educational and employment outcomes of looked after children 3 . The government recognises the importance of addressing disparities in long-term outcomes for care-experienced young people. Care leavers’ legal entitlements are already set out in the Children Act 1989 and accompanying statutory guidance, and the Children and Social Work Act 2017 requires local authorities to consult on and publish a Local Offer for care leavers. While we do not intend to introduce a statutory National Offer, we will strengthen expectations by updating guidance on what local authorities should include in their Local Offers, including information about statutory entitlements, as well as any discretionary support that the local authority decides to provide. We will work closely with key stakeholders and local authorities to ensure that the includes examples of best practice, which will enable greater consistency in the support available to care leavers, helping local authorities to learn from what works, helping them to deliver high-quality, equitable support for care leavers. In apprenticeships, we will continue to fund participation and achievement for care leavers. The government provides the £3,000 care leavers’ bursary as well as additional payments to employers and training providers, which they can use to help care leavers achieve their apprenticeship and progress into further employment and training. We have extended eligibility for new foundation apprenticeships up to age 25 for care leavers, those with an education, health and care plan, and prisoners and prison leavers. From January 2025, government will also continue to fund Level 7 apprenticeships for young people up to age 25 who are care leavers as well as those with an education, health and care plan. In higher education, as set out in the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper, we will ensure that all care leavers are automatically entitled to receive the maximum rate of loan for living costs. We will continue to provide £2,000 in bursary funding to support them during their time at university.