Statutory guidance

Care leaver local offer: guidance for local authorities (effective from 30 September 2026)

Updated 13 August 2026

Applies to England

Overview

This section includes details on:

Summary

The local offer requirements, or duties, introduced through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 come into force on 30 September 2026.

Local authorities must ensure they have reviewed and updated their local offer to meet the new requirements by this date.

This guidance explains how local authorities in England must meet their duties to consult on, publish and maintain a local offer for care-experienced young people. It reflects changes introduced by the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 and should be read alongside existing duties under the Children Act 1989 and the Children and Social Work Act 2017.

A local offer is a clear and accessible source of information about the support available to care-experienced young people as they move into adulthood. It must include information about statutory entitlements as well as any additional support the local authority and its partners choose to provide.

This guidance refers to:

• sections 1 to 3 of the Children and Social Work Act 2017 (as amended by section 8 of the Children’s Wellbeing Act 2026)
• S23A, 23C, 24 and para 19B of Schedule 2 of the Children’s Act 1989

Terminology

For the purposes of this guidance, the term ‘care experienced’ is used to describe young people who may, in legal terms, be classified as a care leaver.

The term ‘care leavers’ means:

• eligible children
• relevant children
• former relevant children aged under 25
• persons qualifying for advice and assistance, as defined in the Children Act 1989

The term ‘care leaver’ is only used in this guidance when directly linked to legislative wording or case studies.

Main points

Section 2 of the Children and Social Work Act 2017 requires each local authority to consult on and publish a local offer for its care-experienced young people. This must include specific information on accommodation and financial literacy, alongside wider statutory entitlements, and any discretionary support the authority chooses to provide.

The local offer should clearly set out how the local authority supports care-experienced young people to secure safe, stable and suitable accommodation. The offer should clearly explain the housing support available to care-experienced young people and how they can access it. This should include both statutory entitlements and any additional support offered by the local authority or its partners.

Each local authority must publish information about its arrangements for early intervention to:

• prevent eligible care-experienced young people (former relevant children aged under 25) from becoming homeless – preventing homelessness includes further information
• provide assistance to all eligible care-experienced young people on their release from detention – further information is included in support for young people leaving custody
• assist all former relevant children aged under 25 to access the services they need when leaving care

The local offer must also provide information about services relating to financial literacy, such as money management skills, recognising that many care-experienced young people may not have received consistent financial guidance earlier in life. Local authorities should help care-experienced young people to develop skills in these areas.

As young people move out of placements and begin their adult lives, it is essential that they are supported to maintain the connections and relationships they have built. Many care-experienced young people face this adjustment without the family networks their peers can rely on, and too many experience loneliness or a lack of trusted adults to turn to in times of need.

Each local authority must publish information about the services available to care-experienced young people that may assist them in (or in preparing for) adulthood, including services to support them in building and maintaining enduring relationships and participation in society. Services and support includes further information.

Local authorities need to consider the services and support available to help young people build and sustain positive social networks and to develop an understanding of what healthy, safe and nurturing relationships look like. The local offer should place relationships at its core, ensuring that across all arrangements, services and opportunities there is a strong foundation for creating or strengthening relationships, reducing isolation and providing dependable sources of support. The section on relationships includes further information.

Importantly, beyond listing services available locally, the local offer should explain how the local authority will support care-experienced young people to live as part of their community. This support should go beyond the development of practical skills, to:

• offer a relational environment that enables young people to mature emotionally, achieve stability and build the capacities needed to thrive in adulthood
• set out the additional support provided by all local authority departments, not just children’s services, to ensure a whole‑council approach to supporting care-experienced young people

This guidance sets out the new requirements and updated support approaches, drawing on excellent practice from across the country. It aims to help local authorities meet new expectations while shaping a local offer that reflects the needs of young people.

The local offer should focus on bespoke, relationship-centred support, tailored to what will make the greatest difference for them. Across all areas of the offer, local authorities should:

• consider how they are helping young people develop and sustain enduring relationships
• strengthen their sense of belonging
• support them to access lifelong networks of support that continue beyond formal statutory involvement

This expectation is underpinned by the Children’s social care national framework, which sets out the outcomes that local authorities should achieve for children, young people and families. It outlines that children in care and care leavers should have stable, loving homes, and that local authorities should help care leavers to build and sustain loving relationships with family and friends.

Principles underpinning the local offer

The local offer should be underpinned by a recognition that building and sustaining loving relationships around care leavers should be the key focus of services working with them. Local offers should therefore not only describe the services available to young people but also how those services will help them build, maintain and strengthen the relationships, networks and community connections that enable them to thrive throughout adulthood.

The local offer must provide information on all services available to care-experienced young people from the local authority and, where relevant, from partner agencies, including specific arrangements for supporting and assisting care-experienced young people in:

• their transition to adulthood
• accommodation
• financial support
• access to services

This includes details of statutory entitlements as well as any discretionary support that the local authority chooses to provide.

In determining the discretionary elements of the local offer, local authorities may wish to consider whether certain forms of support could be extended to qualifying care leavers and to other young people with experience of care, including those living in kinship care.

In developing their local offer, local authorities should have regard to the Children’s Commissioner’s Hierarchy of needs for care-experienced young people, acknowledging that a sense of belonging, a positive identity, trusted and enduring relationships and meaningful participation are key foundations for young people to thrive and achieve positive lifelong outcomes.

Corporate parenting principles

Under Section 1 of the Children and Social Work Act 2017, local authorities are required to have regard to 7 corporate parenting principles when exercising their functions in relation to looked after children and care-experienced young people.

The local offer should:

• explain the support available from all local authority departments, not just children’s services or care leaver teams, and show how this support aligns with the 7 corporate parenting principles in Section 1 of the Children and Social Work Act 2017
• be developed jointly with care-experienced young people and reflect the 7 principles

These principles should underpin the development and implementation of the local offer and should be read alongside this guidance.

In particular, local authorities should recognise the importance of promoting stable, loving and enduring relationships and ensuring that care-experienced young people have trusted adults and supportive networks that extend beyond specific services or interventions.

Corporate parenting includes further information and a case study.

Who this guidance is for

This guidance is for local authorities and partner organisations that contribute to services and support for care-experienced young people, including:

• county councils, district councils and London borough councils
• Combined County Authorities and the Greater London Authority
• housing authorities and housing associations
• health partners, such as NHS services, GPs, mental health providers and universal health services relevant to a care-experienced young person
• education, training and skills providers, including further education (FE) colleges, higher education (HE) institutions, independent training providers, careers services and training bodies
• employment partners, including Jobcentre Plus, the Department for Work and Pensions and employers offering apprenticeships or ring-fenced roles for a care-experienced young person
• voluntary and community sector organisations providing mentoring, wellbeing, participation or specialist support
• youth justice, prison and probation services, where relevant to a care-experienced young person’s needs

All local authorities in England are required to publish a local offer.

For the purpose of this guidance, a local authority in England means:

• a county council in England
• a district council
• a London borough council
• the Common Council, of the City of London (in their capacity as a local authority)
• the Council of the Isles of Scilly
• a combined authority established under section 103 of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009

Housing and accommodation

This section includes details on:

Local authorities must publish information about how they:

• anticipate the future accommodation needs of care-experienced young people, both before the young person leaves care and on an ongoing basis once they have left care
• co-operate with local housing authorities in their area to assist former relevant children aged under 25 to find and keep suitable accommodation
• provide assistance to former relevant children under 25 who are at risk of homelessness or leaving custody (where they have been detained in prison, a young offender institution or a secure training centre)

Accommodation planning

The local offer should explain:

• how the local authority assesses and plans for the accommodation needs of care-experienced young people
• the accommodation options available locally and how to access them
• how young people’s views, wishes and preferences are considered in accommodation planning
• how accommodation arrangements seek to minimise unnecessary moves and avoid disruption to important relationships and support networks
• what support is available to care-experienced young people with specific housing needs, including:
  • young parents
  • young people with disabilities
  • those considering entering into or continuing in FE and HE, including arrangements provided during and outside term time – further information is given in higher education
  • those living out of area
  • those who may be vulnerable to exploitation, grooming or domestic abuse
• what support is available to help young people access private rented accommodation, including rent guarantor schemes and other measures to reduce barriers to accessing housing

Working with housing services

The local offer should set out:

• arrangements for joint working and shared responsibilities across local authority departments, including for planned and supportive transitions to a range of suitable housing options
• how accommodation and housing needs are considered as part of local commissioning and sufficiency planning
• how local authorities work with housing providers and other partners to support successful housing outcomes
• clear information about application processes, eligibility criteria and sources of advice and support

Where a joint housing protocol exists, local authorities should provide a direct link to it within the published local offer so that care-experienced young people and practitioners can access information about local housing pathways, responsibilities and available support arrangements.

Local authorities should also consider how safeguarding, vulnerability and support needs are considered when accommodation is identified for a young person. This includes assessing the young person’s safety in the area surrounding the proposed accommodation, with attention to any known local risks or vulnerabilities. As part of this process, consultation with local police or community safety agencies should be undertaken to gather relevant intelligence and ensure the placement is appropriate and safe.

Preventing homelessness

Local authorities must publish information about their arrangements to prevent homelessness among former relevant children aged under 25 and to support those who are at risk of housing instability.

The local offer should explain:

• how the local authority identifies and responds to housing instability or risks of homelessness early and acts to prevent it, including a rapid, safe and coordinated response if homelessness occurs, detailed in the joint housing protocol for care-experienced young people
• how housing and leaving care services work together to prevent tenancy breakdown
• what support is available to young people during the early stages of a tenancy
• where young people can access advice about tenancies, rent, budgeting and avoiding eviction
• what emergency accommodation and crisis support arrangements are available
• how young people can access support outside normal office hours
• who to contact if accommodation is at immediate risk

Support for young people leaving custody

Local authorities must publish information about the support available to former relevant children under 25 who are leaving custody and require accommodation support.

The local offer should explain:

• how accommodation needs will be assessed and planned before release
• how leaving care services work with prisons, probation services and other agencies to coordinate support
• how pathway plans will address accommodation and wider resettlement needs
• how young people will be supported to access suitable accommodation on release
• what support is available to help maintain relationships with trusted adults, family members and other support networks
• how young people can access practical, financial and tenancy-related support when returning to the community

Local authorities should ensure that accommodation planning begins early and forms part of wider preparation for release and transition back into the community.

The section on custody includes further information.

Additional support

When developing this section of the local offer, local authorities should ensure that it reflects all existing legal duties relating to accommodation support for care-experienced young people, such as those who are participating in education or training, and the duties relating to Staying put arrangements.

Local authorities should adopt an aspirational approach to housing outcomes for care-experienced young people, recognising that successful transitions to adulthood extend beyond securing and sustaining accommodation.

The local offer should set out clearly what support is available to care-experienced young people as they move into new accommodation, including:

• support with moving, such as help with moving costs or practical assistance to move belongings
• how to apply for the leaving care allowance and any other financial support available
• clear detail of the continuing support following graduation from university or training programmes, and where support is available for continued education, including postgraduate courses
• what to expect in their new accommodation, including whether it will be furnished, support available to furnish it, and details of any local schemes, area-based offers or supplier discounts specifically available to care-experienced young people
• advice, guidance and support available to help young people progress towards long-term housing stability, such as access to shared ownership, affordable home ownership schemes, savings initiatives and other pathways to home ownership where appropriate
• where to seek help if issues arise with the property, such as repairs, safety concerns or difficulties with tenancy management
• support to progress outstanding immigration status applications or appeals where applicable

The local offer should also incorporate relevant changes to housing legislation, including:

• the exemption for care leavers under 25 from local connection tests for social housing (which came into force in July 2025), which means care-experienced young people under 25 cannot be refused or deprioritised for social housing because they lack a local connection – guidance should also explain any implications for ongoing support if a care leaver chooses to live out of area, so they can make fully informed decisions
• the disapplication of the intentional homelessness test for care-experienced young people (which comes into force on 30 September 2026) and what this means for care-experienced young people at risk of tenancy breakdown who require homelessness assistance
• how housing and leaving care services will work together where a young person is at risk of losing accommodation

Working as part of a regional care cooperative

Regional care cooperatives (RCCs) are regional bodies that bring together local authorities, health, youth justice and other partners to plan and commission homes and support for looked-after children.

By planning and commissioning at regional scale, RCCs are expected to improve placement sufficiency and stability. Coordinated regional planning allows local authorities to:

• better understand patterns of need
• anticipate future demand
• take collective action to address gaps in provision

As part of these arrangements, regional commissioning activity may include the development of shared frameworks, commissioning platforms and home searching systems that support transparent matching of needs to provision. This can involve closer collaboration across local authorities and with providers, housing, health and other partners, as well as the use of regional data to inform planning and decision making.

When developing the local offer, local authorities who are part of an RCC arrangement should consider how shared arrangements and commissioning activity are applicable to the offers available to care-experienced young people across their region.

Financial literacy and financial support

Local authorities must publish what services they have relating to financial literacy and financial support.

Financial literacy and financial support are important elements of helping care-experienced young people prepare for adulthood and live independently. Local authorities must publish information about services relating to financial literacy, such as money management skills, and explain how former relevant children aged under 25 can access those services, recognising that many care-experienced young people may not have received consistent financial guidance earlier in life.

The local offer should clearly explain the financial support available, how it can be accessed and what assistance is available to help young people develop the knowledge and confidence to manage their finances effectively.

This section includes details on:

• financial literacy support
• leaving care allowance
• education and training entitlements, allowances and bursaries
• benefits and entitlements
• Junior ISAs
• an example of local practice

Financial literacy support

Support with financial literacy is crucial to help young people leaving care transition successfully to adulthood.

The local offer must include detail of services relating to financial literacy and how a local authority will help former relevant children aged under 25 to access these services. This includes:

• budgeting and managing monthly income and expenditure, including paying rent and household bills
• support available during the early stages of a tenancy, including additional life skills training where required
• understanding payslips, tax and National Insurance
• opening and managing bank accounts, online banking and avoiding scams
• understanding credit scores and how to build credit safely
• borrowing, debt and avoiding high-risk lenders
• benefits, Universal Credit and other entitlements
• saving, emergency funds and longer-term financial planning
• support available to young people who may be entitled to compensation payments, including awards through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme or other legal settlements

Financial literacy support may be delivered through:

• financial education programmes
• one-to-one support from personal advisers
• group learning sessions
• digital tools
• practical exercises that enable young people to develop financial skills alongside their peers

It should be tailored to individual circumstances and reflected within pathway planning where appropriate.

Leaving care allowance (known otherwise as the setting up home allowance)

Eligible care-experienced young people are entitled to a leaving care allowance, also known as the setting up home allowance, of at least £3,000. Local authorities may provide more than the minimum amount depending on individual circumstances.

The allowance is intended to help young people establish their home when leaving care. It can be used to purchase essential household items, such as furniture, white goods and kitchen equipment, but cannot be used to pay rent, utility bills or other day-to-day living costs.

Local authorities should use the allowance flexibly to meet individual needs, including where young parents may require additional essential items for themselves and their child.

The local offer should clearly explain:

• who is eligible for the allowance
• how young people can access it
• how it is administered, including whether support is provided through direct purchases, instalments or lump-sum payments
• the types of items it can be used to fund
• any local processes for requesting support
• any additional discretionary financial assistance that is available beyond the statutory allowance

The local offer should distinguish between support provided through the statutory leaving care allowance and any additional discretionary assistance offered by the local authority.

Where goods or services are purchased on behalf of a young person using the leaving care allowance, the local offer should explain how decisions are made and how the allowance will be allocated. This will help ensure transparency and enable young people to make informed choices about how their entitlement is used.

Education and training entitlements, allowances and bursaries

The local offer should explain financial support available to young people participating in FE, HE and apprenticeships, including:

• the £3,000 apprenticeship care leavers’ bursary
• the 16 to 19 bursary fund
• the £2,000 higher education bursary
• information on extended eligibility for foundation apprenticeships and level 7 apprenticeships, from age 21 to 24, for care-experienced young people, prisoners and ex-prisoners and people with an education, health and care plan
• any local grants, travel assistance, equipment funding or other discretionary support, including for interview or work clothing

Further information is included in education, training and employment.

Benefits and entitlements

The local offer should provide information about benefits and financial entitlements that may be available to care-experienced young people and explain what support is available to help them access those entitlements.

This should include information about:

• Universal Credit
• council tax support and exemptions
• disability-related benefits and support
• housing-related financial assistance
• support available through education, employment or training
• local welfare support schemes and discretionary financial assistance

The local offer should explain:

• what support is available
• who may be eligible
• how applications can be made
• what help is available to complete applications and navigate the benefits system

Some former care-experienced unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) may be unable to access benefits as a result of having a “No Recourse To Public Funds” condition on their immigration status.

The local authority should assess the needs of the young person and gain a full understanding of their individual circumstances. A human rights assessment under schedule 3 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 may need to be completed to determine which services should be provided. Schedule 3 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 sets out the entitlements which migrants with No Recourse to Public Funds can access.

Former UASC and migrant children leaving care includes further information.

Junior individual saving accounts (ISAs)

Children who have been looked after continuously for 12 months or more and who are not eligible for a Child Trust Fund are entitled to receive a government contribution of £200 into a junior ISA.

The local offer should explain:

• what a junior ISA is
• who may be entitled to one
• how young people can find out whether an account exists in their name
• how they can access the account when eligible to do so
• where they can obtain support if account information has been lost or if they were not previously aware of the account

Local authorities should ensure that care-experienced young people are aware of junior ISAs and understand how these savings can support them as they move into adulthood.

Case study: example of local practice

Derbyshire’s local offer provides practical, structured financial support to help care leavers manage money and transition to independence. This includes:

• a £3,000 setting up home allowance for essential household items
• support to purchase contents insurance and TV licences
• full council tax exemption until age 25 for those living in Derbyshire (with the Leaving Care Service covering this for those living elsewhere)

Care leavers are also supported with:

• budgeting sessions
• tenancy‑readiness tools such as the Resettlement Passport
• help to access their junior ISA
• tailored support to ensure they are better off in work, including bridging payments while awaiting Universal Credit and discounts such as reduced water bills or temporary free Wi‑Fi

Legal duties

This section outlines the legal duties each local authority should consider as part of the local offer.

It includes details on:

• corporate parenting, which includes a regional approach to the local offer
• personal adviser support post-21
• Staying Close support
• domestic abuse

Corporate parenting

Every local authority is a corporate parent. The local offer is the clear, public statement of how these corporate parenting duties translate into practical, day-to-day support for care-experienced young people across areas such as housing, health, education, employment and participation.

Local authorities may wish to consider a regional approach to their local offer to ensure consistency in their corporate parenting duties and the support they offer to their care-experienced young people.

Corporate parenting principles includes further information.

Case study: regional approach to the local offer

The Greater Manchester Care Leaver Guarantee is all about providing support and opportunities to our young people that have been in care.

All 10 Greater Manchester local authorities, along with a wide range of partners, have joined together to create a series of entitlements and offers that will help care leavers live happy and healthy lives. All 10 local authorities have agreed that, as a guarantee, care leavers are entitled to the following (the list is not exhaustive but illustrates what can be done in the regions):

• local free prescriptions
• housing providers will work with care leavers to give them the knowledge and support they need so the move into their own home is a success, as well as practical help including managing a tenancy, paying bills and budgeting
• exemption from paying council tax up to age 25 across all local authorities
• a £3,000 leaving care grant when they move into their property
• a clear set of financial entitlements
• free travel

Personal adviser support post-21

Local authorities must maintain contact with eligible care-experienced young people until they reach the age of 21, including those in custody.

The local authority’s duty to keep in touch extends beyond their 21st birthday until they reach age 25, while they remain in or begin or resume a programme of education or training for care leavers who are:

• former relevant children
• persons qualifying for advice and assistance aged up to 25 who are pursuing a programme of education or training

Eligible care-experienced young people can request personal adviser (PA) support at any time up to reaching age 25. If PA support is requested, the local authority must:

• allocate a PA
• review or refresh the pathway plan
• provide support tailored to their assessed needs

If an eligible care leaver is not receiving advice and support (including a PA and pathway plan), the local authority must offer it as soon as possible after the young person reaches age 21 and at least once every 12 months.

It is important to include in the local offer how eligible care-experienced young people can access or re-engage with this continued support if they require it and have lost contact with the local authority. This should include an email or web contact, or a helpline if available.

Staying Close support

Staying Close helps care leavers make a successful transition to adulthood by strengthening the relationships, networks and practical support around them. The focus of this support is setting them up to find and keep a home that is right for them. Staying Close will become a national duty in 2028 to 2029 and will be rolled out to local authorities nationally in advance of this.

Where Staying Close is available in the local area, local authorities should include it within their local offer as part of the support available to young people leaving care and set out clearly how young people can access it.

Domestic abuse

Many care-experienced young people entered care as a result of domestic abuse, neglect or other forms of family harm, and some may return to the same families, communities or local areas in which that harm occurred.

Local authorities must comply with their duties under the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, and in developing their local offer, should have regard to provisions of the Act, including its wider statutory definition of domestic abuse and the recognition that children are victims of domestic abuse in their own right where they see, hear or experience its effects.

The local offer should clearly set out:

• what support is available to care-experienced young people who are experiencing, or are at risk of, domestic abuse
• information on access to specialist domestic abuse services, advocacy, safe accommodation and support to relocate where appropriate

Services and support

This section includes details on the services and support local authorities should include in the local offer.

This includes:

• relationships
• participation in society
• voting and the democratic process
• additional needs
• care leavers living or placed outside of their local authority, including a case study
• transitions to adult services and mental health support
• health and wellbeing
• custody
• young parents
• former UASC and migrant children leaving care

Relationships

Strong, stable and supportive relationships are essential for care-experienced young people as they move towards adult life. When care-experienced young people have at least one such relationship in their lives, they experience better educational, physical and mental health outcomes, are less likely to engage in risky behaviours and demonstrate increased resilience.

Local authorities should consider:

• how young people can maintain enduring relationships that continue to offer emotional security, consistent responsiveness and dependability
• the services and support available to help care-experienced young people develop and maintain positive social networks, and to understand what healthy, safe and nurturing relationships look like

Where this support is available, the local offer should include detail about what is offered and how young people can access it, including:

• relational interactions with PAs, whose interest should be in the overall wellbeing and development of the young person – the PA should be empowered to interact with and make decisions alongside the young person in a way that makes them feel that they belong and are cared for and supported
• support to reconnect safely with former carers, relatives or other important adults, where this is appropriate and in the young person’s best interests
• what bereavement support is available, including emotional and practical support and help to maintain appropriate memories and connections following the death of someone important to the young person
• accommodation types that encourage the development of long-term relationships (such as supported lodgings or training flats attached to previous care placements)
• faith and community‑based relationship‑building programmes, including clubs, care leaver hubs, groups or activities that help young people expand their social networks in safe and supportive environments
• peer mentoring, providing opportunities for care-experienced young people to support and learn from one another
• one‑to‑one mentoring or befriending support, offering trusted and consistent adult relationships

Participation in society

Social participation is vital for the journey to adulthood. Engagement in these opportunities can help care-experienced young people build friendships and social networks, reduce isolation and develop confidence, skills and a strong sense of belonging.

Local authorities should include clear information about the activities, events and volunteering opportunities that they provide and that are available in the local area that young people can participate in.

The local offer should set out:

• how care-experienced young people are supported to participate in community life and to access social, cultural and civic opportunities to help them develop confidence, skills and positive networks
• what practical, financial or travel support is available to enable activities and how it can be accessed
• how to take part in a wide range of community activities, including sports and leisure programmes, cultural or creative activities, volunteering roles, local faith or community groups, youth and family hubs and charities offering social, emotional or practical support
• opportunities for care-experienced young people to take part in decision making, including through care leaver forums, participation groups, youth councils or care leaver boards – these structures give young people meaningful ways to express their views, influence policy and service delivery and help shape improvements to the local offer
• what support is available to help care-experienced young people obtain or replace essential identity documents, including birth certificates, passports, provisional driving licenses and other forms of identification

Voting and the democratic process

Voting gives young people the opportunity to influence decisions on issues that affect their lives.

Learning how to register to vote, understand the electoral process and participate in elections is an important life skill that promotes active citizenship and independence. Understanding the voting process empowers care leavers to have their voices heard and play an active role in shaping their communities, influence local and national decision making and improve future opportunities.

The local offer should set out the support and services available to help care leavers engage in the democratic process, including:

• how to register to vote
• when elections take place
• what forms of identification may be required
• where and how to vote, including information on postal and proxy voting options
• how to access impartial information about candidates, political parties and election issues

By providing this information, local authorities can help ensure that care leavers are equipped with the knowledge and confidence to participate fully in civic life.

Additional needs

Care leavers with disabilities often face additional and more complex challenges compared to other care leavers. As such, support should be more tailored, coordinated and sustained.

The local offer should set out the following key areas of support:

• longer-term and flexible support – disabled care leavers may need support beyond typical age perimeters (18 to 25)
• accessible housing – information should be set out on suitable accommodation that meets physical or sensory needs, such as wheelchair access or adapted bathrooms
• additional support may be required for managing a tenancy and daily living skills
• risk of isolation should be reduced by encouraging a connection to supportive communities and networks

The offer should also outline support to address additional barriers that may exist in accessing education or work, including:

• reasonable adjustments under disability legislation
• access to specialist training or supported employment schemes
• help applying for benefits or funding, such as disability-related grants
• accessing diagnostic assessments where needs are not yet formally identified, and appropriate support following diagnosis

The local offer should set out how the local authority will identify and respond to disability-related needs and ensure that support is tailored accordingly.

Care leavers living or placed outside of their local authority

Some young people who were placed out of area while they were looked after may wish to remain in that area when they leave care – for example, to continue living with their former foster carer under Staying put arrangements.

The local authority should:

• consider and set out what elements of the local offer will be available to these young people
• endeavour to make as much of the local offer available to them as possible, and where an element cannot reasonably be provided out of area, there should be a clear and justifiable reason
• consider where they could open certain elements of their local offer to care-experienced young people who live in their area but are formally supported by another placing authority – for example, they may choose to allow these young people to access some discretionary forms of support, such as free use of local leisure facilities, participation in healthy cooking classes or involvement in activities or programmes provided for local care-experienced young people
• as a minimum, ensure that care-experienced young people living in their area, including those for whom another authority remains responsible, can access information, advice and guidance about local services and support
• consider providing access to care leaver hubs and participation opportunities, recognising the importance of helping young people build local networks, relationships and a sense of belonging within their community

Allowing access to such provision can help ensure that all care-experienced young people living in the area are able to benefit from supportive community opportunities and a sense of belonging, regardless of which authority is responsible for them.

Case study: Nottinghamshire joint care leaver offer

Nottinghamshire County Council and the 7 district and borough councils worked together to develop a single, county-wide care leaver offer, bringing together support including council tax exemptions, leisure opportunities, housing support and other local benefits.

The partnership extended entitlements, including council tax exemptions and free leisure passes, to care leavers living in the area who had not been looked after by Nottinghamshire County Council.

Recognising that care-experienced young people often move across district boundaries to access education, employment and accommodation, the councils developed a more consistent approach to support across the county. This helped improve awareness of available support, strengthen corporate parenting and reduce barriers created by differing local arrangements.

This approach demonstrates how county, district and borough councils can work together to develop shared local offers and reciprocal arrangements that improve access to opportunities and support social mobility for care-experienced young people.

Transitions to adult services and mental health support

Moving from the supported environment in care into adulthood can be a profoundly vulnerable period, especially when it comes to mental health. As young people leave the structure of children’s services, they often face sudden shifts in support, expectations and independence, all while carrying the emotional weight of their care experiences. Navigating adult services can feel overwhelming, and it is essential there is strong, compassionate mental health support during this stage.

The local offer should describe:

• what local and community support offers are available that are bespoke to the needs of care leavers
• how adult services, mental health services and the care leaving services will work together in a multi‑disciplinary way, collaborate to plan transitions, share information appropriately and ensure continuity of care as young people move into adulthood – this includes for any care and support needs as assessed under the Care Act 2014
• the support available from both adult services and mental health services – it should set out precisely when these services can provide support to care-experienced young people and, where eligibility thresholds apply, explain what alternative forms of support will be offered to care-experienced young people who do not meet those thresholds
• support for victims of crime, including emotional support, practical assistance and information about their rights
• clear pathways for care leavers to follow to access or request support when they require it

Health and wellbeing

Access to health services, including mental and physical health care, is critical for care leavers.

Local authorities should work closely with health partners, including integrated care boards and health and wellbeing boards, and play a proactive role as part of integrated care systems to ensure that the mental health and physical health needs of care-experienced young people are assessed and services are in place to meet those needs effectively.

Services should be designed and commissioned collaboratively with other services to prevent any cliff edges in support upon reaching age 18, in recognition that a young person’s needs do not suddenly change on their 18th birthday, so access to support should not either. This is particularly crucial for care leavers, who are among the most vulnerable young people.

In addition to physical health and mental health needs, care leavers will often have needs requiring support from adult social care services, including support for adult safeguarding. Local authorities should ensure that:

• a robust safeguarding offer is accessible to all care leavers who may need it
• approaches to maintain strong, consistent relationships with social care professionals are developed and implemented where this will benefit the young person

Service design should prioritise overcoming challenges of reaching and supporting young people who may be hard to engage. Leaving care teams and adult social care teams should have clearly defined and frictionless routes for obtaining care leaver consent for appropriate information sharing where needed.

Particular attention should be given to the support that care-experienced young people will need to take responsibility for their own health and to access appropriate services, including information and advice. A healthy lifestyle also requires proper attention to social, recreational and sports activities.

The local offer should:

• set out local area services that educate on, support and enable good health and wellbeing
• set out links to, or information about, universal health services that might be particularly relevant to care-experienced young people, and specific health, mental health and wellbeing services tailored to care-experienced young people
• outline what support they provide directly to support care-experienced young people’s wellbeing, such as wellbeing walks, allotment groups or access to sport

Custody

When care-experienced young people spend time in custody, including in prisons, young offender institutions or secure training centres, local authorities retain important duties towards them throughout this period. Entering custody should not result in a break in the relationship between a care-experienced young person and their local authority.

Local authorities must maintain contact with eligible care leavers where they have duties to do so and should have arrangements in place to:

• identify when a care-experienced young person enters or transfers between custodial establishments
• establish where they are being held
• maintain regular and meaningful contact throughout their sentence

The local offer should explain:

• how care-experienced young people in custody will maintain contact with their PA and have access to pathway needs assessments and a pathway plan, which must include planning for support both during custody and on release – these plans must ensure that suitable accommodation and support are identified and prepared in advance of release
• how regular contact will be maintained with care-experienced young people in custody, including by visiting them in person, such as:
  • what support will be available to maintain contact with family members, trusted adults or professionals
  • support to identify, develop and strengthen enduring relationships while in custody, including family finding services, mentoring and opportunities to build supportive networks that can continue following release
• how leaving care services work with prisons, probation and other relevant agencies to coordinate support throughout custody and on release.
• what financial support is available, including consideration of an appropriate and regular financial allowance and consideration of freezing entitlements to financial support (such as a setting up home grant) for the duration of their period in custody, so that these allowances can be available on their release – this should include how the local authority will provide financial advice, assistance and practical support to manage financial difficulties, address debt or financial exploitation concerns and prepare for financial independence on release
• the wider support available to young adults during custody, including access to advice and advocacy, and plan for release and resettlement
• information about local authorities’ arrangements for helping young people find and keep accommodation – see Support for young people leaving custody

Young parents

Young care-experienced parents often face isolation, insecure housing, poor mental health and barriers to education, training and work.

The local offer should set out how the local authority will help them build safe, stable family lives and positive relationships, recognising that many care-experienced young people lack strong support networks and may feel lonely.

Local authorities should recognise that some care-experienced parents may be reluctant to access maternity, health, early help or parenting support because of concerns about being judged or that asking for help may lead to involvement from children’s social care. Information should avoid language or practice that reinforces fear or stigma and should consider the use of trusted professionals, peer support and supported introductions to encourage engagement.

It should explain how care‑experienced young people who are parents can access support. This should include how they can:

• access programmes that strengthen supportive relationships, such as family finding and mentoring – this should also be signposted and explain how young parents will be supported to access peer parenting groups, community networks and opportunities to build friendships and mutual support, including for those who are not currently caring for their children
• receive help to continue or return to education, training or employment, including careers advice, childcare support and information on bursaries for FE and HE, and apprenticeships – education, training and employment has further details
• access maternity, post-natal, health and mental health services, as well as support from family hubs, early help and parenting programmes offering practical guidance on infant care and child development

Former unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and migrant children leaving care

UASC are among the most vulnerable young people in the UK, often having experienced trauma, disrupted education, loss of family networks and long periods of instability. As they become care-experienced young people, many will continue to need emotional, practical and legal support, particularly if they lack family in the UK or are still navigating the asylum or immigration system. Unresolved immigration status can also affect their access to benefits, employment and education.

Local authorities should clearly explain how former UASC care-experienced young people can access the local offer and the support outlined in this guidance – further information is included in benefits and entitlements.

The local offer should include information on:

• access to legal advice on asylum or immigration matters
• advocacy and independent advice
• how to request an assessment of needs if “No Recourse to Public Funds” conditions limit access to parts of the local offer
• support to reduce isolation and build social networks, including mentoring, befriending and community programmes
• holistic support that considers language needs, cultural identity, mental health vulnerabilities and specialist services to help young people settle safely and move towards independence

Local authorities should ensure that:

• where a young person is eligible to apply for permission to work, they are made aware of this opportunity and supported to access appropriate advice and assistance to make an application where appropriate
• where a young person is eligible to access education, they are made aware of this and are supported to understand what opportunities are available to them and how they can be accessed

Education, training and employment

This section includes details on:

• education and training, including:
  • further education
  • the 16 to 19 bursary fund
  • apprenticeships
  • higher education
• employment, including a case study
• digital skills and online safety

Education and training

Care-experienced young people should have access to comprehensive support to help them achieve their education, training and employment goals. They should be encouraged to pursue ambitious opportunities that match their interests, abilities and potential.

The local offer should:

• explain the support available to help care leavers access and sustain education, employment and training, including employability support, work experience, mentoring, internships and support to re-engage with suitable opportunities where they are not currently participating
• provide clear access to personalised careers information, advice and guidance, covering education, training and employment opportunities – information should help care leavers understand how different courses and qualifications can support progression into further learning, apprenticeships, HE and employment
• outline local financial assistance for care leavers, such as travel costs, equipment grants, interview clothing, rent and council tax support, apprenticeship start-up funding and accommodation outside university term time

You should present this information in clear, accessible sections to help care leavers quickly identify the support most relevant to their chosen pathway.

The local offer should also include details about:

• the statutory entitlements as set out in the Children Act 1989 to support care-experienced young people with financial assistance if they require it (sections 23C(4)(a) and 24B(1) of the 1989 Act)
• financial support available to young people participating in FE, HE and apprenticeships
• accommodation support for young people participating in FE or HE
• links or details of universal sources of information, including careers guidance and financial support

Further education

The section on FE within the local offer should summarise information on the types of courses available for learners aged 16 to 19 and over 19 to encourage care leavers to be aware of the different pathways available to them. It should include information on technical and vocational qualifications, including how to access advice and guidance about them.

For care leavers aged over 19, the offer should note the range of level 2 and 3 free courses. This includes free courses to achieve GCSE English and maths, and the Free courses for jobs offer, which includes a range of fully funded courses at level 3.

It should set out the main types of financial support available in FE, including the 16 to 19 bursary fund, childcare support and learner support for learners aged over 19, which operates in a similar way to the 16 to 19 bursary fund. National Careers Service includes further information on courses and financial support.

16 to 19 bursary fund

The 16 to 19 bursary fund is delivered through 2 streams:

• the defined vulnerable group bursary
• the discretionary bursary

Care-experienced young people and care leavers with financial need may be eligible for the defined vulnerable group bursary, which provides enhanced support of up to £1,200 per year.

The local offer should set out advice for how students can apply, via their education provider, who will assess their eligibility and funding needs. The bursary can help cover essential costs such as travel, meals and course equipment.

The discretionary bursary is allocated directly to schools and colleges, which set their own eligibility criteria and determine the level of support based on individual need. There is no fixed limit on the amount institutions can award, and they may use additional funding from their own budgets where affordable. Providers can also use the discretionary bursary to top up the defined vulnerable group bursary if further support is needed.

Most schools and colleges provide information about the 16 to 19 bursary fund on their websites so links to these may be useful in the local offer. Students can also contact student support services for advice and guidance.

Apprenticeships

The local offer should include a dedicated section on apprenticeships, explaining that they combine paid employment with free training and are available from foundation level to level 7. Apprenticeships provide a route into skilled employment and can improve long-term career and earnings prospects.

Information should highlight that age eligibility for some apprenticeships has been extended for care leavers, including foundation and level 7 apprenticeships, from age 16 to 21 to 16 to 24.

The £3,000 apprenticeship care leavers’ bursary should be clearly promoted. The guidance should explain that the bursary is:

• tax-free
• not treated as income for Universal Credit purposes
• paid through the apprenticeship training provider rather than the employer

Leaving care teams can provide confirmation of care leaver status when required. Care leavers should also be reassured that they do not have to disclose their care experience to their employer if they choose not to.

Where local authorities or local employers offer additional apprenticeship opportunities for care leavers, such as guaranteed interviews, tailored support or ringfenced vacancies, these should be included in the local offer with links to current opportunities.

The local offer could helpfully link to authoritative guidance on apprenticeships for care leavers, such as that available from the Moving On Up network.

Higher education

This section of the local offer should clearly state:

• what support is available for students preparing for HE (pre-application)
• how the local authority intends to support the young person while they are studying (participating)
• how the local authority will support the young person once they have completed their course (post-graduation)

Local authorities should make clear what support is available at each stage of the process, including:

• course selection: information on the wide range of options and flexible study modes available across level 4 to level 7 study, both within and outside the student’s home local authority, recognising that individual students’ needs and preferences will differ, and support to explore the use of contextual admissions, which are widely available across the HE sector
• financial support: information on the statutory £2,000 HE bursary for care leavers, as well as the discretionary bursaries provided by many HE providers, and support to research and access any additional financial support that may be available
• housing support: information on students’ entitlements to housing support while studying in HE and after graduation, including housing allowances, 365-day accommodation schemes and rent guarantor schemes, including where these are available to students studying outside their home local authority, as well as support to explore any additional housing support offered by HE providers
• pastoral support: information on any entitlements to pastoral support while studying, together with signposting to relevant resources
• support for postgraduate study and students graduating after their 25th birthday: clear information on whether the local offer includes support for students undertaking postgraduate study, and whether support is available where a course, whether undergraduate or postgraduate, will continue beyond the student’s 25th birthday, with local authorities encouraged to provide such support wherever possible

Employment

The local offer should include clear information about the general employment support available to care-experienced young people, including access to careers advice, links with local Jobcentre Plus services and wider employability assistance.

The local offer should:

• set out any additional employment support that they or local partners provide for care-experienced young people, such as apprenticeships or pre-employment training and support offered by the authorities or businesses in the area, particularly where these opportunities are ring‑fenced for care‑experienced young people
• ensure that care-experienced young people know about the apprenticeships care leavers’ bursary and how to claim it
• set out where relevant third‑sector organisations might offer care-experienced young people specialist employment and skills support – this may include:
  • national and local charities providing mentoring
  • training or coaching
  • enterprise programmes
  • work‑readiness courses
  • sector‑specific opportunities for young people with care experience
• outline the voluntary‑sector partners who provide a broader range of support, opportunities and expertise within the community, complementing the local authority’s own provision
• set out opportunities to gain skills and experience through volunteering, community participation or short work placements
• outline how care-experienced young people can benefit from the national Care Leaver Covenant, through which more than 700 public, private and voluntary‑sector organisations provide tailored opportunities for care-experienced young people, broadening the range of employment and skills pathways available and complementing the support offered locally

Case study: John Lewis Partnership – Building Happier Futures

The John Lewis Partnership is an employee-owned retail business, operating the John Lewis and Waitrose brands across more than 400 shops and online sites. Its Building Happier Futures programme supports care-experienced people into employment through a dedicated employability pathway and free online skills resources. Designed with input from people who have lived experience of care, the programme is available across all John Lewis Partnership locations.

The programme includes a welcome tour, job shadowing, interview skills training and an interview. Successful candidates are offered suitable vacancies where available. Those who pass the interview but cannot be placed immediately may join a talent pool for up to 3 months and be contacted when opportunities arise.

Care-experienced people who work for the organisation can join a dedicated colleague network led by people with lived experience, and dedicated wellbeing support is also available. Managers and workplace buddies involved in the programme complete Care Aware training, helping them understand the barriers care-experienced people may face and how to create a more supportive working environment. The organisation offers a wide range of opportunities to boost skills and help people progress, including apprenticeships.

A free online employability platform offers practical support, including CV writing and interview preparation.

Digital skills and online safety

The ability to navigate online spaces safely and confidently is essential for accessing education, employment, financial services, health information and social support. There is significant benefit from practical, non-judgmental training for care-experienced young people, particularly for those who have not benefited from peer or parental oversight on online safety previously.

Local authorities should consider, alongside what financial support can be offered for access to broadband, what support can be provided to care-experienced young people as part of their local offer, including in areas such as:

• how to spot scams, phishing and deepfakes
• understanding online grooming and exploitation behaviours
• managing social media privacy settings
• recognising online hate or radicalisation
• safe use of dating apps and sharing images
• protecting personal data, especially when applying for jobs or housing

Developing and publishing the local offer

This section contains details on:

Developing the local offer with care-experienced people

When developing their local offer, local authorities are required to consult with relevant persons, which means care-experienced young people, and organisations or people that represent and support care-experienced young people.

Local authorities should consider how best to engage and consult with as many of their care-experienced young people as possible. We expect local authorities to work with their care-experienced young people to co-produce a local offer that is meaningful and reflects the needs, views and wishes of the care-experienced young people they are responsible for.

Recognising different identities and experiences

Care leavers will differ in:

• ethnicity
• culture
• religion
• gender identity
• sexual orientation
• disability or neurodiversity

Recognising diversity ensures that services are inclusive and culturally competent.

Local authorities have obligations under the Equality Act 2010 to prevent discrimination and actively promote inclusion and fairness.

Local authorities should ensure that the local offer is shaped by input from care leavers from underrepresented groups, which will:

• help the offer reflect real needs
• ensure the offer is relevant and practical
• empower young people to have a voice

Additional considerations when developing the local offer

Local authorities will want to consider what additional non-statutory support is required to meet the needs of their cohort of care-experienced young people.

The local offer must include, and should differentiate between, both care-experienced young people’s statutory entitlements and other additional support that local authorities choose to provide.

The local offer should:

• reflect support offered by all local authority departments, not only children’s services, including housing, education, leisure services, public health, youth services, libraries, employment and skills, transport, welfare and financial support teams and community safety
• include, as part of the offer, any discrete service provided by a partner organisation for care-experienced young people, such as a health drop-in exclusively for care-experienced young people, where the local authority is confident that there is an ongoing commitment from that organisation to provide that service or support
• signpost or provide links to services provided by partner organisations that are available to all young people, such as a young people’s sexual health clinic or a careers advice service for 16 to 25 year-olds, where this is more appropriate. The local offer should also explain what support the local authority can provide to help care-experienced young people access those services – for example, help with making referrals, arranging appointments, accompanying them where appropriate or covering travel costs if needed

Publishing and updating the local offer

Once local authorities have consulted on and published their local offer, it must be updated from time to time and should be reviewed regularly to ensure that the services on offer reflect what care-experienced young people need most.

Local authorities can choose how regularly they review their local offer, but we would expect local authorities to update it at least every 2 years, following further consultation with care-experienced young people.

Local authorities should ensure there is clear oversight of the development, publication and review of the local offer. To assess whether the local offer is meeting its intended purpose, remains up to date and communicates the support available to young people effectively, local authorities should gather information from:

• corporate parenting boards
• relevant scrutiny arrangements
• feedback from care-experienced young people

Local authorities should be able to demonstrate how feedback has influenced improvements to the local offer over time.

Format of the local offer

The local offer should be easily available and accessible to all care-experienced young people in the local authority area. This may mean that it is made available in a number of formats, including easily accessible online versions, or printed hard copies, in different languages as appropriate.

Local authorities should ensure the local offer can be accessed on mobile devices through channels care-experienced young people are likely to be familiar with, and is presented in an accessible web format, rather than relying solely on PDF documents, which may be difficult to use for some young people, including those using screen readers or mobile phones.

Local authorities may want to consider providing care leavers with an upfront list of guarantees as part of the offer. This could improve accessibility by allowing individuals to quickly identify the support available to them and refer back to the information as required.

We would also expect PAs to share and promote the local offer with the care-experienced young people they work with, and to make sure they are aware of it and the services they are entitled to.

Local authorities will want to consider how the local offer is made available to and is easily understood by care-experienced young people with additional needs, including those with learning disabilities, communication needs or sensory impairments. This may include providing information in easy read, audio or video formats, or ensuring compatibility with assistive technology.

Local authorities should decide on the precise arrangements for consulting care-experienced young people and the format or formats the local offer is available in.