Local offer for care leavers

Children’s services must publish a ‘local offer’ for all care leavers. They are required to do this by the Children and Social Work Act 2017.

The local offer should set out:

• The local services for care leavers (in accordance with children’s services’ duties under the Children Act 1989).
• Any other relevant local authority support or services. For example, anything else which may help prepare care leavers for adulthood and independent living.

These should include services relating to care leavers’:

• Health and well-being.
• Education, training and employment
• Family and social relationships
• Housing.

Local authorities should support care leavers to participate in society. For example, they should be supported to access necessary identification documents. This includes a National Insurance card, birth certificates, and adoption certificates (if applicable). Care leavers should be assisted to ensure they are registered to vote. They should receive help to set up a bank account. Where their immigration status is not secure, it is necessary to support them with this. This may include supporting them to obtain specialist legal advice.