Young people in University
We have high aspirations for all our Care Leavers and encourage them wherever possible to progress to Higher Education. These students are not eligible for housing benefit or Universal Credit, and therefore alternative financial arrangements need to be made to pay for housing costs, such as Student Finance.
Young people going to university are generally advised not to request their long-term housing offer, unless there is a specific reason that meets their needs. Instead, the allocated worker should support the young person to select an appropriate university and course, which they can manage alongside their long-term tenancy. Young people should be supported to fully understand the responsibilities they will have as a student with their own tenancy.
Young people serving a custodial sentence
Where a Care Leaver who is serving a custodial sentence has a pre-existing tenancy, advice should be sought from the local benefits office (Housing Benefit or Universal Credit) to see how their individual sentence will affect their tenancy upon release. Sometimes it is not possible for a tenancy to be held for their release and support should be given for the young person to voluntarily give up their tenancy in this circumstance. A young person who is on remand can have their housing costs paid for up to 52 weeks and those who have been sentenced can have their housing costs paid for up to 13 weeks.
Pre-release planning is essential for Care Leavers leaving custody without accommodation. This discussion and planning process should begin as soon as a date is given for release and will include appropriate referrals to accommodation providers and/or a duty to refer to the housing team. The Personal Assistant (PA) should make sure there is joined up work prevent release from custody with no clear destination.
Young people in the Armed Forces
When leaving the Armed Forces, Care Leavers can apply to join the housing register in an area of their choice and there will be an exemption for them to join the register based on their employment with the Armed Forces. Each individual case should be explored directly with the relevant housing authority.
Support and advice should be sought by the care leaver from their PA and, if appropriate, a housing options meeting booked to discuss all options. There will also be an in-house welfare team within the Armed Forces who can provide advice.
Young People who are parents
Dorset Council is committed to supported Care Leavers to be the best parents they can be. This extends to ensuring the place that they live is suitable and convenient for them and their children.
Care Leavers living outside of the Dorset Council area
Care Leavers that are settled outside of the Dorset Council area and want to remain in the area where they have positive relationships and commitments should be encouraged to do so. The service they receive from the leaving care team should be the same as for those living in Dorset.
Remaining out of area is likely to be appropriate if the young person is already in a foster or residential placement and has becomes settled, returning to Dorset could pose a risk or even moving away gives them a chance to take up employment or training.
The social worker or, PA will help the young person to contact the relevant local authority Care Leavers and /or housing services where the young person resides to explore what accommodation options may be available to them.
Under the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 a care leaver can develop a local connection to a local authority area in which they were normally resident for a continuous period of two years, at least some of which fell before their 16th birthday, as a result of being looked after by that local authority. This connection lasts until their 21st birthday.
Where an approach is made to a separate local authority with which the care leaver has no valid local connection, then the case will most likely be referred to Dorset Council for assessment.
Dorset Council will work with other local authorities to facilitate Care Leavers having access to the housing register and local housing options in a Local Authority other than Dorset.