§ Mr. KidneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on progress on(a) the development of improved financial arrangements for 16 to 18-year-old people leaving care and (b) the proposed new duty on local authorities to assess and meet the needs of care leavers up to the age of 18 years. [84370]
§ Mr. HuttonAs announced inThe Government's Response to the Children's Safeguards Review on 5 November 1998, the Government intend legislating to extend and strengthen the statutory responsibilities of local authorities to provide after care support.
The Government will shortly publish a consultation paper setting out new arrangements for 16 and 17-year-olds who are in care or care leavers which will clarify responsibility and improve financial support for this particularly vulnerable group. Copies will be placed in the Library.
Once responses to the consultation paper have been considered, the Government will take forward any legislatory changes as soon as Parliamentary time allows. In the meantime, the Government issued guidance to local authorities in April asking them to take steps now to improve services for care leavers (LAC(99)16).