Care Leavers Service

Care Leavers have rights

You have the same rights as anybody else. You also have specific legal rights that are set down in these 2 Acts: the Children Leaving Care Act 2000, and the Children and Social Work Act 2018.

Care Leavers have the right to advice, assistance and support from Children’s Social Services up to the age of 25. You have these rights even after you leave care, but the support you get depends on your exact status as a Care Leaver. For example, Care Leavers with a disability and Care Leavers in education get different support.

If you are a Care Leaver aged 16 or 17, Social Services are responsible for meeting your needs for maintenance, accommodation and support.

All Care Leavers have these rights

• A pathway plan is made while you are still in care. The pathway plan is made by Social and you. It has details on the support you need as you grow into adulthood. The plan shows the things that are needed for you to live a good life and become more independent.
• You have a right to a Personal Assistant (PA). A PA works for Social Services and is there to visit you regularly and to support you. The PA makes sure that the Local Authority reviews and sticks to the pathway plan.
• You must be given support to do well at school or college, training and work, and higher education (this means studying after A levels, T Levels, and BTECs; higher education includes university).
• Financial support should be provided. For example, you can get money from a setting up home allowance to buy things that you need if you are moving into accommodation. You can also get an education bursary if you’re going to college full time, or higher education.
• You have a right to housing and accommodation.

You have the right to know what your Local Authority will offer you. This is called a care leavers local offer.

Click here to see Oxfordshire’s care leavers local offer

Some Care Leavers have these rights

• After your 18th birthday, you might be able to stay with your foster family.
• If you have been in residential care, you can sometimes stay in touch with the home after you leave care.

How will a volunteer mentor help me?

• The volunteer mentor will visit you every month.
• They can help you with everyday matters.
• They can help you develop skills so that you can be more independent.
• They will chat to you and help you feel less isolated.
• They can help you take part in the things that you want to do in your local community.
• They will understand the support that you want and will not push their ideas on you.

Care leavers

How will advocacy help me?

• An advocate will help you to make a complaint.
• They will challenge a Local Authority decision if you are not happy with it.
• They will support you if you think your rights are not being upheld.

Care leavers