Continuing care and aftercare
When looked after status ends
Payments will be made until the young person reaches their 18th birthday or leaves school. This is unless they have begun full-time employment before their birthday.
If the child remains a ‘looked after child’ after their 16th birthday and wishes to stay there after they turn 18, they must request Continuing Care.
This means living in the same household, provided the carers agree. The young person can then expect the same level of support until their 21st birthday. This also includes continued financial support for carers. The young person will then be eligible for Aftercare support until they turn 26 years of age. If Continuing Care is not available to them, they immediately become eligible for Aftercare.
A worker will help when a decision is to be made regarding Continuing Care. They will carry out a welfare assessment as part of the legal requirements of the Continuing Care legislation.
Scotland’s Continuing Care and After Care forum is Scotland’s national membership organisation for those involved with young people leaving care. They have produced a toolkit, which you and the young person in your care may find informative. You can find the information here.
Additional support
East Lothian’s Kinship Support Service alongside Children 1st will also be able to offer some information and support at this time.
Care Experienced Bursaries are available to young people who have lived in Kinship Care and previously been ‘Looked After’. They may be eligible for a Care Experienced Bursary if they are continuing their education and studying for certain full-time courses. These include Higher National Certificate, Higher National Diploma, Degree and PGDE.
Separate funding packages are available for Nursing and Midwifery and Postgraduate courses. More information can be viewed on the Student Awards Agency Scotland website.