View Safeguarding Procedures View Safeguarding Procedures

3.11.15 Post Eighteen Fostering Policy

SCOPE OF THIS CHAPTER

The Care Matters legislation aims to promote the extension of foster care placements beyond a young person's eighteenth birthday where he or she is assessed as requiring a placement extension. Leeds City Council is committed to preventing social exclusion amongst care leavers and has developed the following policy in order to ensure vulnerable care leavers and those in education receive continued support.

The following policy sets out the conditions required to extend a foster placement beyond a young person's eighteenth birthday and highlights the placement arrangements and the consequential Income Tax, National Insurance and Welfare Benefit issues.

From the age of eighteen young people are no longer legally in 'Care' and therefore fostering arrangements no longer apply. However, placements where young people were Looked After under fostering regulations up to their eighteenth birthday may be able to transfer to the National Association of Adult Placement Scheme (NAAPS) Income Tax and National Insurance regulations. If the young person meets this criteria and the placement was previously a foster placement and meets the NAAPS good practice guidance the post eighteen arrangements is temporarily treated as an Adult Placement.

The following policy is designed to ensure young people do not experience a sudden disruption to their placement arrangements, that educational achievement and continuity is promoted and that vulnerable young people can make a gradual transition from care to independence.

Young people who remain in placement after their eighteenth birthday and fit within the NAAPS regulations do so for three main reasons:

  • Because they are extremely vulnerable
  • To complete full time GCSE, A level or similar courses and/or, prior to undertaking a university course
  • Whilst they await allocation of housing department accommodation.

For carers to be covered by the NAAPS good practice standards all the requirements of the fostering regulations must be continued whilst a post 18 young person remains in placement. This will ensure safeguarding standards are maintained by all health and safety, medical, CRB checks and annual reviews being continued and up to date.

Young people who remain in placement after their eighteenth birthday under a private arrangement or to attend university fit within the Rent A Room regulations.

OTHER RELEVANT CHAPTERS

Leaving Care Procedure

Registration for National Insurance Procedure

This is a new chapter for June 2011


Contents

1. Extending Placements Procedure
2. Post Eighteen Placement Allowances and Arrangements
  2.1 Vulnerable Young People
  2.2 Young People Remaining in Placement to Complete Further Education
  2.3 Young People Remaining in Placement Whilst Awaiting the Allocation of a Local Authority Housing Department Secure Tenancy
  2.4 Income Tax, National Insurance and Welfare Benefit Regulations
  2.5 Young People Remaining in Placement Whilst Undertaking a Course of Higher Education
  2.6 Private Arrangements between Young People and Foster Carers where Both Parties Wish to Extend the Placement
3. Carer/s Welfare Benefits
4. Young People's Allowances and Contributions
5. Post Eighteen Independent Agency Foster Care Placements
6. Extremely Vulnerable Report Format


1. Extending Placements Procedure

The Leaving Care Assessment of Need undertaken at the age of fifteen and three quarters should identify the timescale required for young people to move to independence.

To ensure sufficient time is available to make the necessary planning arrangements for extending a placement beyond a young person's eighteenth birthday, a professionals meeting should take place as part of the Leaving Care Assessment of Need prior to the young person's sixteenth birthday. The meeting should include the foster carer/s, supervising social worker and leaving care social worker/personal adviser and should establish the Post Eighteen Arrangements and identify all key tasks and roles and responsibilities related to extending the placement.

The meeting should explore the impact on the foster carers' financial circumstances should the placement continue after the young person's eighteenth birthday. The meeting should be repeated when the young person reaches the age of seventeen and a half and ensure any final arrangements and requirements are in place by his or her eighteenth birthday. Both meetings should make reference to National Insurance, Income Tax and Welfare Benefits issues for the foster carer/s and Welfare Benefit issues for young people. The outcome of these meetings should be discussed at the subsequent looked after statutory review.


2. Post Eighteen Placement Allowances and Arrangements

2.1 Vulnerable Young People

Where it is assessed that a young person (Former Relevant Children) is extremely vulnerable and unable to leave a Children and Young People's Social Care foster placement by the age of eighteen, the following principles should apply:

  1. The Leaving Care Assessment of Need undertaken at the age of fifteen and three quarters should identify the timescale required for young people to move to independence.
  2. Where a placement of an Extremely Vulnerable young person requires extending and funding beyond the young person's eighteenth birthday a report must be presented to the Post Eighteen Approval Panel (Children's Services Deliver Manager - Fostering and Service Delivery Manager - Pathway Planning). The report should be presented when the young person reaches the age of seventeen and six months. Funding for a post eighteen placement of an Extremely Vulnerable young person can only be agreed by the Post Eighteen Approval Panel. (See Section 6, Extremely Vulnerable Report Format)
  3. The young person's Care Plan and Pathway Plan must identify arrangements regarding the extension of the placement beyond the age of eighteen and/or arrangements for move-on accommodation and support. Plans should also include arrangements for case transfer and placement transfer and funding to Adult Services, if applicable.
  4. Payments consist of the maintenance allowance and the skills fee. The carer/s' maintenance allowance for a post eighteen placement is set at the sixteen plus standard rate of £190.85 plus the relevant level 1 to 4 skills fee (2008-2009). From the young person's eighteenth birthday the maintenance allowance is reduced by the pocket money and clothing allowance of £35.00 per week as young people can claim welfare benefits that replace the pocket money and clothing allowance. The £35.00 reduction will only be applied when the young person has established his or her benefit claim (approximately three weeks). The total payment therefore ranges from £155.85 per week for a level 1 carer to £416.55 per week for a level 4 carer.
  5. Young people are entitled to £47.95 Income Support which replaces the £35.00 pocket money and clothing allowance.
  6. Young people who remain in placement post eighteen should also submit a claim for Local Housing Allowance up to the maximum local level (Leeds rate £98.08 per week). The Allowance should be paid directly to Leeds Children and Young People's Social Care in order to avoid any disruption to the carer/s allowances.
  7. In situations where a foster carer is in receipt of a mean's tested welfare benefit a young person's claim for Local Housing Allowance may result in a reduction to the foster carer/s mean's tested benefit.
  8. Where a foster carer is in receipt of Housing Benefit/Local Housing Allowance the leaving care social worker/personal adviser should contact Leeds Welfare Benefits Group and Leeds Benefits Service to assess the impact of the young person's claim on the carer's claim. Depending on the outcome of this discussion a decision may be made that the young person should not claim the Local Housing Allowance. This decision should be made by the Service Manager - Pathway Planning.
  9. Where a foster carer is in receipt of Income Support or Jobseekers Allowance any Local Housing Allowance payment is likely to be treated by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) as income from a Boarder. The first £20.00 and half of the remainder is disregarded if some meals are provided.
  10. The D.W.P. will disregard £20.00 plus £39.04 (50% of the remainder) and will therefore take account of £39.04. The DWP will reduce the carer's welfare benefit by £39.04. In these situations the Fostering Maintenance Allowance will be reduced by £35.00 (pocket money and clothing allowance) and increased by £39.04 to compensate for the loss of means tested benefit. The Local Housing Allowance of £98.08 will be paid directly to Leeds Children and Young People's Social Care.
  11. Leeds Children and Young People's Social Care will ensure that foster carers in receipt of means tested welfare benefits will be no worse of in terms of his or her welfare benefits or his or her Fostering Maintenance Allowance.
  12. Payments made by Children and Young People's Social Care directly to carers, or via a young person are disregarded in the assessment of ex-carer's income support, job seekers allowance, housing benefit/local housing allowance and council tax benefit if the young person was formerly in the claimant's care, is aged 18 or over and continues to live with the claimant.
  13. Placements for vulnerable young people over the age of eighteen will be reviewed every three months and the young person's Pathway Plan must highlight move-on arrangements.
  14. Post eighteen placements should not be extended by more than one year. Where it is assessed that young people will continue to be vulnerable beyond the age of nineteen, the Pathway Plan should explore a transfer to Adult Services and/or a transfer to supported accommodation in the community, accessed via the Housing Departments and/or Supporting People. Placements should not be extended beyond the age of nineteen.

2.2 Young People Remaining in Placement to Complete Further Education

Group 2 relates to Young people remaining in placement to complete GCSE, A level or equivalent further education courses, and/or remaining in placement prior to undertaking a course of higher or residential further education

The funding for the placement continues until the 30th September following the completion of the young person's GCSE, A level or equivalent full time course, or until the young person's 20th birthday whichever comes first. This date is set to enable young people to complete education courses and make a gradual transition to independent living and/or, to provide stability until they commence a higher education, or a residential further education course. This provision enables young people to commence one year, or two year full time further education courses prior to his or her eighteenth birthday and remain with ex-foster carers until the course is completed around his or her twentieth birthday.

Where a young person (Former Relevant Children) is remaining within his or her foster care placement to complete a full time GCSE, A level or equivalent course the following principles should apply:

  1. The Leaving Care Assessment of Need undertaken at the age of fifteen should identify the young person's education aspirations and whether this may require a placement to be extended beyond the age of eighteen. All changes in placement funding arrangements and placements that require funding beyond the young person's eighteenth birthday must be presented to the Post Eighteen Approval Panel (Area Manager and Service Delivery Manager - Pathway Planning).
  2. Payments consist of the maintenance allowance and the skills fee. From the young person's eighteenth birthday until the point when he or she completes a full time GCSE, A level, or equivalent course and leaves the placement, and/or subsequently commences a higher education course (usually the 30th September) the carer/s' maintenance allowance for a post eighteen placement is set at the sixteen plus standard rate of £190.85 plus the relevant level 1 to 4 skills fee (2008-2009). From the young person's eighteenth birthday the maintenance allowance is reduced by the pocket money and clothing allowance of £35.00 per week as young people can claim welfare benefits that replace the pocket money and clothing allowance. The £35.00 reduction will only be applied when the young person has established his or her benefit claim (approximately three weeks). The total payment therefore ranges from £155.85 per week for a level 1 carer to £416.55 per week for a level 4 carer.
  3. Young people are entitled to £47.95 Income Support which replaces the £35.00 pocket money and clothing allowance.
  4. Depending on the circumstances of the carer/s all young people should submit a claim for Local Housing Allowance up to the maximum local level (Leeds rate £98.08 per week). The Allowance should be paid directly to Leeds Children and Young People's Social Care in order to avoid any disruption to the carer/s allowances.
  5. In situations where a foster carer is in receipt of a means tested welfare benefit a young person's claim for Local Housing Allowance may result in a reduction to the foster carer/s mean's tested benefit.
  6. Where a foster carer is in receipt of Housing Benefit/Local Housing Allowance the leaving care social worker/personal adviser should contact Leeds Welfare Benefits Group and Leeds Benefits Service to assess the impact of the young person's claim on the carer's claim. Depending on the outcome of this discussion a decision may be made that the young person should not claim the Local Housing Allowance. This decision should be made by the Service Manager - Pathway Planning.
  7. Where a foster carer is in receipt of Income Support or Jobseekers Allowance any Local Housing Allowance payment is likely to be treated by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) as income from a 'Boarder'. The first £20.00 and half of the remainder is disregarded if some meals are provided.
  8. The DWP will disregard £20.00 plus £39.04 (50% of the remainder) and will therefore take account of £39.04. The DWP will reduce the carer's welfare benefit by £39.04. In these situations the Fostering Maintenance Allowance will be reduced by £35.00 (pocket money and clothing allowance) and increased by £39.04 to compensate for the loss of means tested benefit. The Local Housing Allowance of £98.08 will be paid directly to Leeds Children and Young People's Social Care.
  9. Leeds Children and Young People's Social Care will ensure that foster carers in receipt of means tested welfare benefits will be no worse of in terms of his or her welfare benefits or his or her Fostering Maintenance Allowance.
  10. Payments made by Children and Young People's Social Care directly to carers, or via a young person are disregarded in the assessment of ex-carer's income support, job seekers allowance, housing benefit/local housing allowance and council tax benefit if the young person was formerly in the claimant's care, is aged 18 or over and continues to live with the claimant.
  11. Placements should only be extended until the 1st October following the young person's eighteenth birthday. In exceptional circumstances the placement can be extended to the end of the second July following the young person's eighteenth birthday to enable them to complete full time GCSE, A level or equivalent courses. In circumstances where young people are undertaking a BETC/GNVQ course these must be at a level 2 or above, and finish in the summer after a young person's nineteenth birthday to qualify for a placement extension.
  12. If the young person decides not to attend university, or takes a gap year prior to the start of their degree course, and wishes to remain within the foster carer/s' home, this will be deemed as a private arrangement.
  13. If a young person wishes to return to his or her carer/s in the university vacation period, the young person should cover the costs from one or a combination of the following; Children and Young People's Social Care Higher Education Grant, Government Higher Education Maintenance Grant, Student Maintenance Loan and/or employment. The recommended contribution from the young person is based on the local housing allowance rate for a room in a shared house (approximately £65.00 in the Leeds area) and a contribution to household bills and food costs. In total the young person should contribute approximately £80.00 per week. Income Tax and National Insurance regulations highlight that a young person returning to a previous placement would be covered by the Rent A Room regulations. Additionally, when a young person return's to a previous placement any payment from the young person will be counted as income for benefit purposes.
  14. Young people undertaking a university course are given a grant ranging from £5000.00 to £6000.00 (depending on the course location) (2008-2009) per year by Children and Young People's Social Care which should be used in part for their vacation accommodation costs. Additionally, care leavers are eligible for a £2835.00 Government Higher Education Maintenance Grant, are eligible for a Student Maintenance Loan, are a priority group in terms of university and college ?learner support funds' and, like other students, will need to find employment in vacations.

2.3 Young People Remaining in Placement Whilst Awaiting the Allocation of a Local Authority Housing Department Secure Tenancy

  1. Where a young person (Former Relevant Children) has applied for, and is awaiting the allocation of a local authority housing department secure tenancy the placement can be extended for a maximum of three months after his or her eighteenth birthday. The young person must be registered with Leeds City Council and be actively participating in the 'Choice Based Lettings Process'. Additionally, the young person must take realistic and reasonable steps to secure an appropriate offer of accommodation in a range of areas.
  2. Where a young person is placed outside of the Leeds area he or she must be registered with both the Leeds Housing Department and the local housing department in the area they are placed. Depending on the rules of the local authority housing department in the area that the young person is placed, Children and Young People's Social Care may be required to give the young person 28 days notice to leave a placement. This may be a requirement of the local authority homeless department and a pre-requisite to the allocation of accommodation under the 'care leavers' priority need' category.
  3. Payments consist of the maintenance allowance and the skills fee. The carer/s' maintenance allowance for a post eighteen placement is set at the sixteen plus standard rate of £190.85 plus the relevant level 1 to 4 skills fee (2008-2009). From the young person's eighteenth birthday the maintenance allowance is reduced by the pocket money and clothing allowance of £35.00 per week as young people can claim welfare benefits that replace the pocket money and clothing allowances. The £35.00 reduction will only be applied when the young person has established his or her benefit claim (approximately three weeks). The total payment therefore ranges from £155.85 per week for a level 1 carer to £416.55 per week for a level 4 carer.
  4. Young people are entitled to £47.95 Income Support which replaces the £35.00 pocket money and clothing allowance.
  5. Depending on the circumstances of the carer/s all young people should submit a claim for Local Housing Allowance up to the maximum local level (Leeds rate £98.08 per week). The Allowance should be paid directly to Leeds Children and Young People's Social Care in order to avoid any disruption to the carer/s allowances.
  6. In situations where a foster carer is in receipt of a mean's tested welfare benefit a young person's claim for Local Housing Allowance may result in a reduction to the foster carer/s mean's tested benefit.
  7. Where a foster carer is in receipt of Housing Benefit/Local Housing Allowance the leaving care social worker/personal adviser should contact Leeds Welfare Benefits Group and Leeds Benefits Service to assess the impact of the young person's claim on the carer's claim. Depending on the outcome of this discussion a decision may be made that the young person should not claim the Local Housing Allowance. This decision should be made by the Service Manager - Pathway Planning.
  8. Where a foster carer is in receipt of Income Support or Jobseekers Allowance any Local Housing Allowance payment is likely to be treated by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) as income from a 'Boarder'. The first £20.00 and half of the remainder is disregarded if some meals are provided.
  9. The DWP will disregard £20.00 plus £39.04 (50% of the remainder) and will therefore take account of £39.04. The DWP will reduce the carer's welfare benefit by £39.04. In these situations the Fostering Maintenance Allowance will be reduced by £35.00 (pocket money and clothing allowance) and increased by £39.04 to compensate for the loss of means tested benefit. The Local Housing Allowance of £98.08 will be paid directly to Leeds Children and Young People's Social Care.
  10. Leeds Children and Young People's Social Care will ensure that carers in receipt of means tested welfare benefits will be no worse of in terms of his or her welfare benefits or his or her Fostering Maintenance Allowance.
  11. Payments made by Children and Young People's Social Care directly to carers, or via a young person are disregarded in the assessment of ex-carer's income support, job seekers allowance, housing benefit/local housing allowance and council tax benefit if the young person was formerly in the claimant's care, is aged 18 or over and continues to live with the claimant.
  12. Placements for a young person awaiting allocation of accommodation cannot be extended for more than three months as this period is sufficient to ensure transitional arrangements from foster care to independent living.
  13. In general, young people in care can register with the local authority housing department from the age of sixteen and are often allocated accommodation immediately prior to his or her eighteenth birthday.

2.4 Income Tax, National Insurance and Welfare Benefit Regulations

From the young person's eighteenth birthday the placement is no longer deemed a foster care placement and is classed as an independent ex-foster care placement (in terms of income tax and national insurance regulations the placement is deemed a vulnerable adult placement). Carers must be made aware of the Income Tax and National Insurance regulations relating to post eighteen placements that are set out in the National Association of Adult Placement Schemes (NAAPS) simplified arrangements leaflet and Inland Revenue Help Sheet 236.

For carers to be covered by the NAAPS good practice standards all the requirements of the fostering regulations must be continued whilst a post 18 young person remains in placement. This will ensure safeguarding standards are maintained by all health and safety, medical, CRB checks and annual reviews being continued and up to date.

The Income Tax and National Insurance regulations highlight that payments and allowances made by the local authority of up to £400.00 per week for the care of the young person do not count as income for tax purposes (2008-2009). For the first vulnerable young person/adult the allowance is £400.00 per week for the second and third vulnerable young person/adult the allowance is £250.00 each per week. In the majority of circumstances payments for post eighteen placements will require the completion of a relevant Income Tax and National Insurance declaration.

Allowances paid by Leeds Children and Young People's Social Care to a foster carer/s who retain a young person over the age of eighteen are not counted as income in regard to a carer/s claim for means tested welfare benefits.

Local Housing Allowance payments made for a young person may affect any means tested benefit that the carer/s are receiving, particularly Housing Benefit/Local Housing Allowance, Income Support/Job Seekers Allowance and will need to be declared to the Department of Work and Pensions and specialist advice sought.

Specialist financial, benefit and tax advice should be sought in all circumstances to ensure that carers are fully aware of the implications of providing a placement to a young person over the age of eighteen.

The final allowance rate should be set to ensure compatibility with the carer/s' welfare benefit, income tax and national insurance situation.

The allowance paid to a carer/s covers all household expenses and food for the young person.

Young people who are vulnerable, and sick or disabled can claim Income Support on the grounds of 'Incapacity' (£47.95 2008-2009). From October 2008 Incapacity Benefit will become the Employment and Support Allowance.

From the age of eighteen young people who are undertaking full time (12 hours study and contact time) education courses can claim Income Support on the grounds that they are in 'Relevant Education' (Income Support rate 2008-2009 £47.95).

From the young person's eighteenth birthday £35.00 pocket money and clothing allowance paid from the carer/s' maintenance allowance will cease (when the benefit claim is established and payment received [three weeks]). The £35.00 pocket money and clothing allowance payment is replaced by the young person's Income Support or Jobseekers Allowance.

If a young person's eighteenth birthday coincides with exams then the benefit claim should be made as soon as the exams are completed.

Young people who are attending college/sixth form are eligible for a £30.00 per week Education Maintenance Allowance. The EMA does not affect eligibility for Income Support and Local Housing Allowance.

All claims for benefit will be undertaken with assistance from a personal adviser. If a young person's eighteenth birthday coincides with exams then the benefit claim should be made as soon as the exams are completed.

If the young person decides not to attend university, or takes a gap year prior to the start of their degree course, and wishes to remain within the foster carer/s' home, this will be deemed as a private arrangement.

2.5 Young People Remaining in Placement Whilst Undertaking a Course of Higher Education

Where a young person remains in a foster carer placement to attend a higher education course this will be deemed a University Placement.

  1. The allowance provided to the carer/s is set at £80.00 per week and is based on the 'Rent a Room' Scheme tax exemption threshold. Any payment provided to the carer/s over £4250.00 per year (£81.73 per week) is liable for Income Tax and National Insurance.
  2. The £80.00 per week is expected to cover all household costs associated with providing accommodation for the young person.
  3. The University Placement Allowance should be paid from the young person's Leeds Care Leavers' Higher Education Allowance, Government Higher Education Maintenance Grant and any other loans and grants, employment earnings or welfare benefits.
  4. The £80.00 per week Children and Young People's Social Care payment provided via the young person is disregarded in the assessment of ex-carer's income support, job seekers allowance, housing benefit/local housing allowance and council tax benefit if the young person was formerly in the claimant's care, is aged 18 or over and continues to live with the claimant.
  5. The Income Tax and National Insurance regulations covering this arrangement are set out in the Inland Revenue 'Rent a Room' scheme that allows a carer/s to receive a tax free allowance of £4250.00 per year (2008-2009). Carers may need to complete a relevant tax declaration and should seek specialist advice.

2.6 Private Arrangements between Young People and Foster Carers where Both Parties Wish to Extend the Placement

Where it is assessed that a young person (Former Relevant Children) is not vulnerable and can leave their foster placement, but both the carer and young person wish to extend the arrangement this will become a private lodgings arrangement. Children and Young People's Social Care will cease to fund the placement and the young person and their carer/s will need to agree both the level of payment and practical arrangements. Personal Advisers can assist with this process and help broker an agreement; however the responsibility for all arrangements rests with the young person and the carer/s.

  1. When a young person and their carer/s are negotiating a rent level, a contribution of approximately £80.00 per week could be a starting point. This amount is based on the Local Housing Allowance rate for a room in a shared house (£65.00 in Leeds area) and a contribution to household bills and food costs.
  2. The young person should pay their contribution from employment, their training allowance or benefits.
  3. The Income Tax and National Insurance regulations covering this arrangement are set out in the Inland Revenue 'Rent a Room' scheme that allows a carer/s to receive a tax free allowance of £4250.00 per year (2008-2009). Carers may need to complete a relevant tax declaration and should seek specialist advice.


3. Carer/s Welfare Benefits

Changes to Social Security legislation that took effect from April 2008 ensure that payments made by local authorities from Section 17, 23B, 23C or 24A of the Children Act 1989 are disregarded in terms of over eighteen carer's means tested welfare benefits. These changes highlight that payments made by Leeds Children and Young People's Social Care directly to carer's, or via a young person are disregarded in the assessment of ex-carer's income support, job seekers allowance, housing benefit/local housing allowance and council tax benefit; if the young person was formerly in the claimant's care, is aged 18 or over and continues to live with the claimant.

Carer/s must inform the Department of Work and Pensions about any allowance they receive from the fostering service, these will be disregarded. In situations where a young person receives a Local Housing Allowance payment and gives this to his or her carer/s it will have an effect on the carer/s means tested benefits (if they are in receipt of means tested benefits). The payment will be treated by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) as income from a Boarder. The first £20.00 and half of the remainder is disregarded if some meals are provided.

Foster carers can contact Leeds Welfare Benefits Group, Leeds Benefits Service or the Citizens Advice Bureau regarding the financial impact of payments.

In certain circumstances carer/s may be able to claim Working Families Tax Credits. This will be calculated on the profit carer/s make from providing an adult placement i.e. the amount carer/s receive above their Income Tax and National Insurance exempt threshold. The profit is counted as employed income.


4. Young People's Allowances and Contributions

  1. Young people (Former Relevant Children) who remain in their placement beyond their eighteenth birthday will be expected to be studying, working, undertaking a traineeship and/or claiming benefits.
  2. Young people who are undertaking full time (12 hours study and contact time) education courses can claim Income Support on the grounds that they are in 'Relevant Education'. Young people who are vulnerable, and sick or disabled can claim Income Support on the grounds of 'Incapacity'. Young people who are looking for work can claim Job Seekers Allowance.
  3. Young people who are attending college/sixth form are eligible for a £30.00 per week Education Maintenance Allowance. The EMA does not affect eligibility for Income Support and Housing Benefit/Local Housing Allowance.
  4. All claims for benefit will be undertaken with assistance from a personal adviser. Young people will be expected to use the benefit allowance to cover all personal needs such as clothing, leisure and general expenditure.
  5. Young people are eligible to claim Local Housing Allowance whilst in a post eighteen placement. In such cases the personal adviser will assist the young person and the carer/s with the claim and the payment will be paid directly to Children and Young People's Social Care.


5. Post Eighteen Independent Agency Foster Care Placements

The eighteen plus rates provided to foster carers who are recruited through, and supported by Independent Fostering Agencies will be paid at the same rate as the Leeds Foster Care Placement Rates set out in the previous sections.

The Leaving Care Assessment of Need undertaken at the age of fifteen should identify the timescale required for young people to move to independence. Immediately prior to a young person's sixteenth birthday a professionals meeting should be held as part of the Leaving Care Assessment of Need process that includes the foster carer/s, supervising social worker, social worker and leaving care personal adviser. The meeting should explore the implications of a post eighteen placement on the allowance rates paid to the foster carer/s and their Income Tax, National Insurance and Welfare Benefit circumstances. A further professionals meeting should be held when a young person reaches the age of seventeen and a half that includes, the foster carer/s, supervising social worker and leaving care social worker/personal adviser to ensure all arrangements are in place by the time he or she reaches the age of eighteen. This process is particularly important for Independent Foster Care Placements.

All changes in placement funding arrangements and placements that require funding beyond the young person's eighteenth birthday must be presented to the Post Eighteen Approval Panel (Service Delivery Manager - Fostering and Service Delivery Manager - Pathway Planning).


6. Extremely Vulnerable Report Format

The following information is provided as a guide for staff who are required to present a report to the Post Eighteen Approval Panel (Service Delivery Manager - Fostering and Service Delivery Manager - Pathway Planning) regarding young people who may be deemed Extremely Vulnerable and may require a foster care placement to be extended post 18.

The report for the Post Eighteen Approval Panel should highlight why the young person is extremely vulnerable and focus on his or her ability to sustain independent living and their ability to establish and maintain either a benefit claim or employment without substantial support. The report should also address any need associated with significant and profound:

  • Learning difficulties
  • Physical disabilities
  • Communication difficulties
  • Special Education Needs
  • Risk taking behaviour, exploitation and self harm
  • Mental health issues
  • Emotional and physical development
  • Substance misuse.

End