Scotland’s Independent Care Review has published its final conclusions. Five reports have been published and the main report ‘The Promise’ runs to 124 pages. To keep our members informed, we will set out the conclusions in a series of brief summaries.

 

In our first, we set out the recommendations for improving support for care leavers and older care experienced young people. Here’s five things you need to know.

 

1. Decisions around moving on to independent living or returning to care should be based on what is in their best interests, not a strict age criteria.

 

The Care Review calls for young people to be encouraged to ‘stay put’ in care for as long as they need to, with “rules, regulations and systems” supporting this.

 

Residential care settings should be “supported and resourced” to ensure that there are places available to allow young people to take advantage of Continuing Care.

 

For foster care, the review calls on “rules, regulations and payments” to be aligned to ensure young people can stay with foster carers for as long as they wish.

 

The review also calls for Continuing Care to be extended to young people leaving Secure Care and for a right to return to care to be introduced.

 

2. Older care experienced people “must have a right to access” services for as long as they need it.

 

The Care Review proposes that these service for care experienced adults focus on the “development and maintenance” of relationships and helping them access the support they need. It does not propose any specific age criteria for these services.

 

However, it states that the provision of Aftercare should be person-centred and should ensure there is no “cliff edges out of care and support.” There should be ‘no wrong door’ for accessing “life long and holistic” support.

 

3. The Promise calls for “comprehensive thematic reviews of ‘transition services’”.

 

No further detail is set out on the scope or nature of these reviews. The Care Review also states that Corporate Parents should be required to set out “how they plan to deliver integrated services for care leavers to adulthood”.

 

4. Financial support for people with care experience should be streamlined and clearly communicated.

 

The Care Review also calls for continued consideration of how to ensure “greater equity and opportunity for care experienced young adults” and, in particular, opportunity around employment, training, housing and support.

 

5. Additional support should be provided to remove barriers to continuing education.

 

The Care Review has called for care experienced people to be entitled to repeat year funding and year round funding to include holiday periods.

 

Notes:

• Read the Independent Care Review's reports here.
• Read Staf's initial response to the Care Review here.
• For further information please contact Staf Policy and Communications Manager Liam Furby on 0141 465 7513 or by emailing [email protected].