Archive Website of the UK government

Preparing to leave local authority care

Most young people in care leave their final placement around the time that they legally become an adult at 18. Making that leap is exciting and scary at the same time, but there are plenty of people who are there to help you. Even so, there’s a lot to think about and decisions that need to be made.

These include:

• deciding where you’re going to live
• choosing whether you’re going to go into work, get some more training or study for more qualifications
• budgeting for yourself
• working out how much support you think you’ll need from your social worker or personal adviser

Don’t expect that you have to make any move before:

• your 18th birthday
• you feel properly prepared to live independently
• you have an agreed plan in place for your support

The local authority responsible for your care is there to support you before, during and after you make your move to more independence.

They will give you all the help and advice you need until you are 21 (or longer if you stay in education or training).

Your statutory review meeting

Moving from your final care placement is a big change in your life. You should not be expected to make any move until plans for your support have been discussed and agreed at your statutory review meeting. This meeting involves:

• you
• your social worker
• your carers
• any other people who are responsible for supporting you (like a mentor or a member of staff from you school or college)
• an Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO)

This is your meeting, so you will get to say what you’d like to do once you leave care.

It is really important that you explain what you want to do in the future at this meeting. Be prepared to talk about the support you think you’ll need to get to where you want to be.

Your social worker will make sure that you get the opportunity to have your say in the meeting.

An Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) will chair the meeting or help you chair it. They will make sure that everyone at the meeting gets a chance to speak.

Another adult called an 'advocate' may be at the meeting if you ask for one. They can help you if you’re struggling to explain how you feel or finding it difficult to put your feelings into words.

An advocate could be a friend, a member of your family or someone from your local authority, like a Children's Rights Officer. The most important thing is that it is someone who you trust.

After your statutory review meeting

If everyone at the meeting agrees that you’re ready to move from your final care placement, you should be given information about your accommodation options.

You might want to:

• move somewhere where you will be expected to live independently straight away
• move somewhere where personal support and advice is always available if you need it

You also get the chance to visit anywhere that you may move to so you can decide if it’s suitable.

If you're unhappy with the meeting

If you are unhappy with the outcome of your statutory review meeting, you have a legal right to make a complaint.

Your social worker or personal adviser from the leaving care service and the IRO must explain the complaints process in your local authority. This makes sure that any care leaver knows how to complain and where to find the help they need to do this. You can also get independent help with your complaint from another adult of your choice.

• Find your local authority

How your local authority will help you

As you make the move to living independently, your local authority will have to:

• respond to your needs
• keep in touch with you once you leave care
• provide you with a personal adviser
• draw up a Pathway Plan with you, which spells out the support that you want from your local authority
• help you to find suitable accommodation
• assess your financial needs and make sure they are met

Financial support after leaving care

Your personal adviser will be able to tell you how much financial support you will be getting.

How much you can get is different for everyone and depends on your personal circumstances. You may be eligible to claim:

• Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Housing Benefit
• Income Support
• a Community Care Grant

• Benefits for young people

• Community Care Grants (money tax and benefits section)

Get more advice for the future

If you need advice about getting more training, qualifications or planning your career, you can also speak to a Connexions adviser.

You can contact a Connexions Direct adviser:

• by phone on 080 800 13 2 19
• by text on 07766 4 13 2 19
• by textphone 08000 968 336
• online
• by email

The Connexions Direct helpline is open from 8.00 am to 2.00 pm, seven days a week.

If you need specific information about leaving care, the Who Cares? Trust and leavingcare.org are great sources of information.

• Connexions Direct Opens new window

• Leavingcare.org Opens new window

• Information about leaving care from the Who Cares? Trust Opens new window

Useful contacts

• Young people contacts