HC Deb 29 April 1998 vol 311 cc162-4W
Mr. Dawson

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he will take to ensure that local authorities make appropriate arrangements to meet the housing needs of young people leaving care. [40115]

Mr. Boateng

Current Children Act Guidance and Regulations give extensive advice to local authorities on how to meet the accommodation needs of children leaving care. The housing needs of care leavers should be met through joint planning and action by the social services and housing departments of the local authority.

Mr. Dawson

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he will take to ensure that local authorities monitor the(a) accommodation arrangements, (b) educational attainment and (c) employment status of young people at the point they leave car [40113]

Mr. Boateng

Local authorities are required to draw up a plan for each child they are looking after and to review the case at regular intervals. The Children Act Guidance and Regulations advise on the formulation of a continuing care plan in preparation for leaving care, including accommodation arrangements, education attainment and employment status for the child when leaving care.

Mr. Dawson

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will amend the Children Act 1989 to require that the responsibility for a young person placed outside his local authority area remains with the placing authority. [40116]

Mr. Boateng

Where a young person is living in another local authority area at the point of leaving care, or after having left care moves to another area, the responsibility for providing after-care services rests with the new authority. We have consulted on whether the Children Act 1989 should be amended to place this responsibility on the local authority which has been

NHS hospital and community health services (HCHS) health care assistants and percentage of health care assistants within the total NHS HCHS workforce in North West regional office area by trust as at 30 September 1996
Whole-time equivalents
HCAs Total HCHS workforce Percentage of total HCHS workforce
North West 1,830 97,020 1.9
Mersey Regional Ambulance Service NHS Trust 1 970 0.0
Wirral Hospital NHS Trust 10 3,610 0.3
St. Helens & Knowsley Hospitals NHS Trust 110 3,280 3.4
Chester & Halton Community NHS Trust 30 640 4.7
Liverpool Cardiothoracic NHS Trust1 1 630 0.0
Royal Liverpool children's Hospital NHS Trust 2 1,690 0.0
The Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust 150 1,990 7.5
Central Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust 2 4,810 0.0
Christie Hospital NHS Trust 2 1,040 0.0
South Cumbria Community & Mental Health NHS Trust 10 530 1.9
Westmoreland Hospitals NHS Trust 1 500 0.0
Aintree Hospitals NHS Trust 110 3,250 3.4
Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology NHS Trust 1 330 0.0
Liverpool Womens Hospital NHS Trust 80 730 11.0
Southport & Formby NHS Trust 10 1,210 0.8
St. Helens & Knowsley Community Health NHS Trust 1 620 0.0
North Mersey Community NHS Trust 20 2,240 0.9
Walton Centre for Neurology/Neurosurgery NHS Trust 10 380 2.6
Burnley Health Care NHS Trust 2 3,100 0.0
Lancaster Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 1 1,540 0.0
Lancaster Priority Services NHS Trust2 1,170 0.0
Oldham 60 2,640 2.3
Wrightington Hospital NHS Trust 1 420 0.0
Rochdale NHS Trust 2 2,240 0.0
East Cheshire NHS Trust 20 1,990 1.0
Southport & Formby Community Health Services NHS Trust 1 520 0.0
Warrington Community Health Care NHS Trust 1 1,130 0.0
Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Trust 70 1,660 4.2
Halton General Hospital NHS Trust 20 730 2.7
Cheshire Community Healthcare NHS Trust 1 630 0.0
Chorley and South Ribble NHS Trust 2 1,520 0.0
West Lancashire NHS Trust 30 1,250 2.4
Calderstones NHS Trust 20 1,260 1.6
Wigan & Leigh Health Services NHS Trust 10 3,830 0.3
Warrington Hospital NHS Trust 240 1,810 13.3
West Cheshire NHS Trust 50 660 7.6
Wirral Community Health Care NHS Trust 20 1,130 1.8
South Manchester University Hospitals NHS Trust 2 4,690 0.0
Salford Royal Hospitals NHS Trust 10 2,800 0.4
Trafford Healthcare NHS Trust 10 2,170 0.5

looking after the young person and the issue is being considered by the Ministerial Task Force on the Children's Safeguards Review. The task force is expected to report in the summer.