Member

I do not feel that the amendments are necessary. Eligible care leavers are required to have a pathway plan prepared for them before they leave care. This should include an assessment of their individual needs across eight domains, including financial needs, capability, health and development, and family and social relationships. The fact that many of them do not feel that this has affected them adequately needs to be picked up by everyone involved in this. To help achieve this, we are funding 47 family-finding, befriending and mentoring programmes across 44 local authorities. We need to assess their impact, making sure that the Staying Close duties impact on their welfare right up to the age of 25, including for those in a Staying Put arrangement.