A year has passed since the enactment of the most significant piece of legislation for thousands of young people in care and their foster carers across the UK. Young people are no longer forced to leave their foster homes at the age of eighteen although this has not come without its challenges.
The Staying Put amendment was heavily campaigned for to give young people a stable and secure home as they take their first steps into independent adult life. Pressure was put on the Government to finally alleviate the uncertainty and anxiety that young people felt when forced to leave their foster homes on or before their 18th birthdays.
On the 4th December, the Government announced that from April 2014 care leavers could stay with their foster carers until they were 21 if they, and their carers, agreed. Local authorities now have a duty to provide financial support for every young person who wishes to stay with their foster carers until they are 21.
One year on since the legislation came into effect, foster carers have expressed concerns over the challenges of offering the opportunity for young people to Stay Put. The loss of income is seen as one of the largest challenges. Local authorities must pay carers an allowance in order to cover the costs of the young adult living with them, although there are no particular national standards regarding the minimum allowance that carers are to receive with the Staying Put legislation. They are also unlikely to receive a recognition fee in line with their experience in transitioning the young person to independence.
Centre manager for Clifford House Fostering in Bromsgrove, Naomi Ebanks-Simpson, said: “Whilst Staying Put gives young people and carers the option for the placement to continue, there still remains some uncertainty for them. For carers, they would not like to see the support change just because a young person turns 18. However, some carers have experienced pressure from Local Authorities to work directly with them under a ‘supported lodging’ arrangement. The agency supports the carers in trying find the best option available for them as carers and for the young people.”
Although some uncertainty remains, the Government and local authorities must focus their efforts on working with IFPs to ensure that their priority continues to be offering the opportunity of Staying Put to every young person who wants to, and giving carers the required support to offer the chance for their young people to Stay Put. With the elections just around the corner, the future of Staying Put is in the hands of the new Government.