Ref: MB-057

Proposed Supported Employment for Care Leavers Measure

Pre-ballot Information

Joyce Watson

Policy Objectives of the Proposed Measure

The policy objective of the proposed Measure is to build on existing good practice to establish an entitlement to supported employment-with-training for young people who leave state care to enter adult life when they have not achieved a positive destination in education, training or employment by other means.  

The Proposed Measure will seek to achieve the policy objectives by establishing:

a) A statutory role for careers guidance in the preparation of Pathway Plans, and the opportunity for the Pathway Plan to specify the provision of supported employment when this is the most appropriate destination for the young person

b) A duty on Local Authorities to coordinate public, private and third sector partners in providing supported employment packages tailored to the individual young person that will include paid employment with appropriate training supported by an in-house mentor and some or all of the following elements

• Housing and/or continued care placement arrangements up to age 25

• Physical and mental health support

• An independent mentor from the third sector, sport or culture.

c) A duty on Local Authorities to be the provider of paid employment when a local government service offers the most suitable career path as identified in the Pathway Plan, or when no other employment opportunity can be identified

d) A requirement on the Welsh Assembly Government to (i) establish a national model for supported employment and revised statutory guidance for Pathway Plans, and (ii) to require and fully support Local Authorities to implement them

Support received

Findings pp6-7 “…Each Child Is Different” – report of national survey on attitudes to corporate parenting among Wales’ county councillors

Statistics on employment outcomes for care leavers (can be found @ ONS, CSSIW, Statistic for Wales)

Studies on employment of care leavers (can be found @ SCIE, Social Exclusion Unit, WAG)

More substance as to the kinds of provision necessary can be drawn from the recent reports by NCAS and by the Cabinet Office report, both published November 2009.

Consultation

Voices from Care Cymru are consulting looked after children and young people through their existing mechanisms (report awaited)

The Fostering Network Wales are consulting carers through existing networks (report awaited)

Llamau are consulting looked after young people through their existing mechanisms (report awaited)

Karen Sinclair’s office has consulted:

• county councillors who responded to the national survey on attitudes to corporate parenting

• The Care Leavers Association

• Prof David Berridge (Bristol University), Profs Ian Sinclair and Mike Stein (York University), Zachari Duncalf (Scottish Institute of Residential Child Care)

Summary of consultation responses at 03/03/10 –

All councillors who had returned questionnaires in the original survey (322) were consulted – so far 36 (11%) have responded directly: 32 positively supportive, 4 neutral and no negatives.  This sample is too small to be seen as representative but may be indicative – it is interesting to note that

(a) 3 of the positive responses were from councillors who were “negative” to corporate parenting in the original survey, and

(b) 5 other positive detailed responses were offered as a joint view with Heads of Service/Chief Officers of the local authority.

The following statement was passed on from Will McMahon, Chair of the Care Leavers Association:

'The Care Leavers' Association is happy to endorse these proposals, since they offer the prospect ofa significant improvement in services for care leavers. We have long called for services and commitments such as these. We know how much manycare leavers need such support if they are to manage the difficult transition to adult life.'

Supportive and constructive comments have been received from each of the following academic researchers in social policy:

Prof David Berridge – Head of the Centre for Family Policy and Child Welfare, University of Bristol

Prof Mike Stein – Research Professor, Children and Young People’s Social Work Team, University of York, and Academic Advisor to the Department of Health's “Quality Protects” research initiative

Zachari Duncalf – Research Fellow, Scottish Institute of Residential Child Care, University of Strathclyde

[Prof Ian Sinclair – Emeritus Professor, Children and Young People’s Social Work Team, University of York has undertaken to respond]

Detailed responses are reproduced at http://corporateparentingsurvey.info/Measures