What's the Answer? - Create

PREPARATION PHASEISSUESYOUNG PEOPLE’S SOLUTIONSPlanning• Young people transitioning from carereport that they do not have leavingcare/transition plans; 65% have no plan fortheir future.• Young people are often not involved in thetransition planning process.• Young people are often not informed abouttheir transition.“It was terrible. I was told a week before Iturned 18 that I was leaving care.”• Develop a national transition from care planning process inconsultation with young people including: a Template for a Leaving Care Plan a Checklist of actions to be completed beforetransitioning an Exit Care Interview with the young person six monthsbefore transitioning.• Employ specialised transition-from-care workers in eachregion.• Develop a Participation Strategy to engage children andyoung people in planning.• Adopt a consistent approach to transition planning andcommence the process at 15 years of age.Housing• Young peoples’ capacity and willingness tolive independently is not explored fully inthe planning process. Young people in thegeneral population now live at home forlonger (over 25 years of age).• Housing/accommodation options are notexplored early enough in the planningprocess resulting in limited housing optionsat the point of transition.• Financially compensate carers to continue to providesupport for young people up to age 21 to stay with existingcarers if this is the young person’s preference.• Develop formal partnerships to determine a suite ofhousing/accommodation options available for youngpeople with a care experience.Education• Teachers are not trained to understand theimpact that abuse and neglect have onyoung people with a care experience.• Young people in care have a higher rate ofsuspension or expulsion from school thanthe general population.• Education support plans are often notdeveloped, and when they are they maynot be effective.• Young people’s academic results are lowerthan those of young people in the generalpopulation.• Lack of clarity regarding roles andresponsibilities within CP Departments andEducation Departments means youngpeople fall through the cracks.• Child Protection orders finishing whilst ayoung person is completing his/her seniorcertificate, or turning 18 during thesemester, and the young person’s schoolingis interrupted if they have to leave theircare placement. Many young people areunable to finish their schooling as they have• Review training for teachers focussing on understandingand managing the impact of abuse (on behaviour) foryoung people in care in educational settings.• Review Educational Support Plans to ensure they areeffective and implemented for all young people in care.• Develop educational tutor programs for young people witha care experience as an essential part of their educationalsupport plan, not an adjunct to it, reducing lengthy delaysin obtaining necessary permissions.• Extend placements for all young people turning 18 duringtheir final year of school until their formal high schooleducation is completed.14