This refreshed guidance for local authorities on continuing care aims to reflect developments in policy and practice as well as providing clarity to those who provide support services by addressing implementation gaps.
For all young people, a successful transition to independent adulthood depends on having the right support at the right time. The right support and the right time might be very different for each individual depending on their circumstances. Too often care leavers are expected to look after themselves much sooner than their peers and in many cases, before they are ready.
Maintaining nurturing, positive relationships through Continuing Care is a key factor in helping young people achieve a successful and sustained level of developmentally appropriate independence, with a range of healthy inter-personal relationships, social supports and networks.
Continuing Care enables young people to retain a day-to-day relationship with their carer, and an on-going relationship with the local authority and other corporate parents (see Part 9 (Corporate Parenting) of the 2014 Act). In this sense, Continuing Care is about facilitating relationship-based practice with young people, and providing them with a continued feeling of belonging, permanence and stability to support and prepare them as they transition towards an appropriate level of independence. Like all young people, those leaving care need supportive relationships to enable them to thrive as they move into adulthood.
The Scottish Government is clear that a looked after young person leaving care should be allowed to remain in their care placement until the time is right for them to move on with a suitable care plan in place. Local authorities should work within the enabling spirit of the legislation to provide caring environments for all looked after young people as they transition to more independent living where appropriate and at a time and pace that suits them.
The priority must be that all looked after children will have a care plan which meets their individual circumstances and allows them to remain in their care placement if at all possible.
Continuing Care enables a young person to remain in the home they were in when they were looked after. Local authorities should consider Continuing Care among all the options available to young people ceasing to be looked after. It should not be used as an alternative where continuing to be looked after under the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 is in the best interest of the young person. A young person who is currently looked after should remain looked after up until the age of eighteen years if that is in their best interest.