Children and Social Work Act 2017 (c. 16)

Part 1 Children

CHAPTER 1 Looked after children

Care leavers in England

2 Local offer for care leavers

(1) A local authority in England must publish information about—

(a) services which the local authority offers for care leavers as a result of its functions under the Children Act 1989;

(b) other services which the local authority offers that may assist care leavers in, or in preparing for, adulthood and independent living.

(2) For the purposes of subsection (1), services which may assist care leavers in, or in preparing for, adulthood and independent living include services relating to—

(a) health and well-being;

(b) relationships;

(c) education and training;

(d) employment;

(e) accommodation;

(f) participation in society.

(3) Where it considers appropriate, a local authority in England must publish information about services for care leavers offered by others which the local authority has power to offer as a result of its functions under the Children Act 1989.

(4) Information required to be published by a local authority under this section is to be known as its “local offer for care leavers”.

(5) A local authority must update its local offer for care leavers from time to time, as appropriate.

(6) Before publishing its local offer for care leavers (or any updated version) a local authority must consult relevant persons about which of the services offered by the local authority may assist care leavers in, or in preparing for, adulthood and independent living.

(7) In this section—

• “care leavers” means—

  (a)

  eligible children within the meaning given by paragraph 19B of Schedule 2 to the Children Act 1989;

  (b)

  relevant children within the meaning given by section 23A(2) of that Act;

  (c)

  persons aged under 25 who are former relevant children within the meaning given by section 23C(1) of that Act;

  (d)

  persons qualifying for advice and assistance within the meaning given by section 24 of that Act;

• “local authority in England” means—

  (a)

  a county council in England;

  (b)

  a district council;

  (c)

  a London borough council;

  (d)

  the Common Council of the City of London (in their capacity as a local authority);

  (e)

  the Council of the Isles of Scilly;

  (f)

  a combined authority established under section 103 of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009;

• “relevant persons”, in relation to a local authority, means such care leavers and other persons as appear to the local authority to be representative of care leavers in its area.