What help can a young person get from children’s services when they leave a voluntary arrangement?

Local authorities (councils) must have regard to seven corporate parenting principles when supporting looked after children and care leavers. These apply to children and young people in care under court orders and to those looked after under voluntary arrangements.

These key principles must be considered by local councils at all times when supporting young people leaving care.

There are different categories of young people leaving care that children’s services owe extra duties to. These are:

• Eligible children
• Relevant children
• Former relevant children
• Qualifying young person.

The table below shows some key information about each:

Our advice sheet Children’s services duties to young people leaving care includes an easy to use chart explaining each different category and the related children’s services legal duties.

Some young people come to the United Kingdom as Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children. This is sometimes shortened to UASC. If they are under the age of 16, leaving care duties apply to them. This is the case whatever their immigration status is.  But when they reach the age of 18 their situation is different.  See our Children’s services duties to unaccompanied asylum seeking children advice sheet for information.