Travel expenses

[Hopefull_bee]

My child is soon to turn 18, a meeting has taken place to resume face to face contact . Im aware LA can pay funding for family to visit a child in care but after researching these nothing that states funding is avilable lawfully when they turn 18 . With my child being around 42miles away from my home it's frustrating as I don't drive and would mean ut would be a two trains and a taxi job . Ive mentioned briefly in the meeting we had about travel expenses and ut wa s basically a conversation that was shut down . My child was used to seeing me weekly when we where receiving contact . Now I won't be able to sustain that if and when it resumes due to funding and km worried about starting the contact and having no consistency for him . Has anybody been in the same predicament and managed to recieve travel funding post 18 ?

[Winter25]

Hi Hopefull_bee,

You are entirely correct about the law in the strict legal duty under Section 34 of the Children Act 1989 for the Local Authority (LA) to fund parental contact ends the moment the Care Order expires on his 18th birthday. This is exactly why the social worker shut the conversation dow, they are looking at their statutory budget line for "Looked After Children," which vanishes the day he turns 18.

However, that does not mean all funding has to stop. It just means the legal framework shifts, and you have to change how you ask for it.

Here is the strategy to get this funded post-18.

When your child turns 18, he transitions from having a Social Worker to having a Personal Adviser (PA), and his Care Plan becomes a Pathway Plan.
Under the Children and Social Work Act 2017, the LA still has a statutory duty to support Care Leavers, and a core part of that duty is supporting their emotional wellbeing and helping them maintain their family networks.

You must stop asking for "my travel expenses" and start asking for "support to fulfill my son's Pathway Plan goal of maintaining family links." The funding shouldn't come from the children's social work budget; it should come from the Care Leaver/Leaving Care budget.

Because he is turning 18, he is legally an adult. The LA will respond much better to a request from him about his needs than a request from you about your expenses.
Ask your son to speak directly to his new Personal Adviser (PA) and say:

"Rebuilding consistent, face-to-face contact with my mum is really important for my emotional wellbeing as I transition out of care. Because of the 42-mile distance and the cost of trains/taxis, she cannot afford to sustain weekly visits. I want this written into my Pathway Plan, and I would like to request that my Leaving Care funding covers the travel costs so we can maintain this family link."

If the LA pushes back on funding two trains and a taxi for you every single week, be ready to offer solutions that show you are being flexible and child-focused:

Can they fund his travel instead? LAs are often much happier to buy a young adult a railcard or bus pass (to encourage their independence) so he can travel to see you.

Halfway meets: Can the PA fund travel to a midway point?

If they will only fund it fortnightly or monthly, accept that funding, and use video calls to fill the gaps so the consistency remains.

Do not let the social worker's shut-down discourage you. You are just talking to the outgoing team; you need to start negotiating with the incoming Leaving Care team.

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For full transparency, I am not an official adviser. I am a parent with lived experience of the family court system, offering strategic guidance. Always consult with a solicitor or advocacy service regarding ongoing care planning.

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

My child is soon to turn 18, a meeting has taken place to resume face to face contact . Im aware LA can pay funding for family to visit a child in care but after researching these nothing that states funding is avilable lawfully when they turn 18 . With my child being around 42miles away from my home it's frustrating as I don't drive and would mean ut would be a two trains and a taxi job . Ive mentioned briefly in the meeting we had about travel expenses and ut wa s basically a conversation that was shut down . My child was used to seeing me weekly when we where receiving contact . Now I won't be able to sustain that if and when it resumes due to funding and km worried about starting the contact and having no consistency for him . Has anybody been in the same predicament and managed to recieve travel funding post 18 ?

Dear Hopefull_bee

Welcome to Family Rights Group parents’ discussion forum and thank you for posting.

I am sorry that you ae feeling so anxious about the arrangements for contact when your son turns 18 and the care order in favour of the local authority ends. Your son is placed over 40 miles from where you live and you are worried about how you wil finance travel to ensure that there is consistent contact.

It appears from your post that you are not having contact with your son now but likely to be having face to face contact soon. You have not said why your son will remain in care of the local authority once he reaches 18. As an adult he will be able to make his own decisions about contact.

The issue for you now is how to start and maintain consistent contact with your son.

As you son is under a care order children’s services have specific duties to him as a child leaving care which includes preparing a Pathway plan for him and allocating a Personal Adviser to him. The pathway plan should be prepared well before the 18th birth. This is provided for in The Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010.

Regulation 42 (1) and (2) requires the local authority to carry out a needs assessment which will inform the pathway plan. Below 42(2) sets out what should be considered in the needs assessment

“(2) In carrying out their assessment of C’s likely needs when C ceases to be looked after, the responsible authority must take account of the following considerations—
(a)C’s state of health (including physical, emotional and mental health) and development,
(b)C’s continuing need for education, training or employment,
(c)the support that will be available to C from C’s parents and other connected persons,
(d)C’s actual and anticipated financial resources and capacity to manage personal finances independently,
(e)the extent to which C possesses the practical and other skills necessary for independent living,
(f)C’s need for continuing care, support and accommodation,
(g)the wishes and feelings of—
(i)C,
(ii)any parent of C’s and any person who is not C’s parent but who has parental responsibility for C,
(iii)the appropriate person,
(h)the views of—
(i)any person or educational institution that provides C with education or training and, if C has a statement of special educational needs, the local authority who maintain the statement (if different)(1),
(ii)the IRO,
(iii)any person providing health (whether physical, emotional or mental health) or dental care or treatment to C,
(iv)the personal adviser appointed for C, and
(v)any other person whose views the responsible authority, or C, consider may be relevant.”

You will see at subsection 42 (2)(c) that the support of parents should be considered and contact with your son is important for his emotional wellbeing

The pathway plan should include under Schedule 8 below:

“SCHEDULE 8 Matters to be dealt with in the pathway plan
1. The name of C’s personal adviser.
2. The nature and level of contact and personal support to be provided to C, and by whom.
3. Details of the accommodation C is to occupy when C ceases to be looked after.
4. The plan for C’s continuing education or training when C ceases to be looked after.
5. How the responsible authority will assist C in obtaining employment or other purposeful activity or occupation.
6. The support to be provided to enable C to develop and sustain appropriate family and social relationships.
7. A programme to develop the practical and other skills C needs to live independently.
8. The financial support to be provided to enable C to meet accommodation and maintenance costs.
9. C’s health care needs, including any physical, emotional or mental health needs and how they are to be met when C ceases to be looked after.
10. The responsible authority’s contingency plans for action to be taken in the event that the pathway plan ceases to be effective for any reason.”

I have highlighted schedule 8(6) which is important in your request for assistance to visit your son. It might help you to remind the social worker and independent reviewing officer (IRO) of these regulations.

You may also find the information HERE from our website about leaving care useful.

Should you wish to speak with one of our experienced advisers you can telephone our advice line on 0808 801 0366. The advice line is open from 9.30am to 3.00pm Monday to Friday (excluding Ban Holidays).

I hope you find this useful.

Best wishes

Suzie