What are staying put arrangements?
Staying put is an arrangement where young people remain with their foster carers following their 18th birthday, and was endorsed by government and formalised in the Children and Families Act 2014.
What is staying put?
A Staying Put arrangement is where a Former Relevant child, after ceasing to be Looked After, remains in the former foster home where they were placed immediately before they ceased to be Looked After, beyond the age of 18.
How long does staying put last?
In 2014, the government introduced Staying Put. It empowered young people in foster care to continue to live with their carers up until the age of 21. It meant they didn’t have to move out at the age of 18, when they left care. But six years on, it looks like not all young people who want to stay put can.
At what age does fostering allowance stop?
Unlike for foster care, there are no minimum post-18 allowances and levels vary greatly by local authority. Many fostering services reduce the allowance given to foster carers once the young person reaches the age of 18 with the intention that the shortfall is made up from the young person claiming housing benefits.
Are supported lodgings taxable?
Will I have to pay income tax on the money I earn providing supported lodgings? It depends on your total taxable income. Your payment should be added to your taxable income for the year. You have to pay income tax if your total taxable income is greater than your tax allowances.
Who is a relevant child?
Relevant children are those aged 16 and 17 who meet the criteria for eligible children but who leave care. Regulations may exclude certain groups, such as children who return home permanently and children who receive respite care.
What is staying close?
Staying Close puts the young person in ‘the driving seat ‘ Transition planning and move-on accommodation for young people to live in safely while they are supported to develop the necessary life skills to live independently.
What happens when a looked after child turns 18?
What happens when a looked after young person turns 18? Well the vast majority (who meet the minimum requirement of 13 weeks’ time looked after from their 14th birthday) will become ‘former relevant children’ and will be entitled to a significant amount of ongoing support from their Local Authority.
What happens when a child in foster care turns 18?
Once a young person reaches their 18th birthday, they are legally no longer a looked after child and their placement with a foster family can no longer be classed as a foster placement.
How much do supported lodgings get paid?
Supported lodgings carers receive the following payments: a weekly fee of £237. a ‘living allowance’ of £100 to cover household costs such as heating and wear and tear. the young person claims benefits or is provided with benefit rate equivalent by the Independent Support/Leaving Care Team.
What are supported lodgings?
Supported lodgings is when you share your home with a young person. You provide a safe home and help them learn to live on their own. Most young people who need supported lodgings are aged 16 to 18 and they may have left foster care or experienced a family breakdown.
Can I leave care at 17?
Leaving care age All statutory support from the local authority will end by age 25. Some 16 or 17-year-olds actively choose to leave care, while they are still children in the eyes of the law – too young to smoke, drink or vote.
What are the aims of the staying put policy?
The Staying Put Policy aims to meet objectives within the Children Act 1989 and the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000 to improve the life chances of young people in and leaving local authority care. The Staying Put arrangement promotes the Acts’ main aims to young people which are to:
Why do we need guidance on staying put?
And at its heart, this guidance is a plea for fostering services – local authority and independent – to accept and understand that staying put is the new ‘norm’, and to go above and beyond to make it happen.
What is the staying put policy in Buckinghamshire?
Buckinghamshire County Council’s “Staying Put” policy is designed to ensure young people: Do not experience a sudden disruption to their living arrangements. Have their educational / training achievement and continuity promoted. Can make a gradual transition from care to independence or to an adult service.
What does it mean to stay put in the UK?
This broader HMRC definition would allow for a young person to return to an arrangement (“Staying Put”) for example during a university vacation. Additionally, all other HMRC requirements would need to be met, i.e.: the young person was looked after immediately prior to their 18th birthday;