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The Legal Stuff

Types of Care Leavers:

You are an ELIGIBLE care leaver if:

  • You are currently looked after; and
  • Aged 16 or 17; and
  • You have been looked after for a period of 13 weeks (or periods) amounting to 13 weeks) which began after you reached 14 and ended after you reached 16

You are a RELEVANT care leaver if:

  • You are no longer being looked after by the Local Authority but you have been 'Eligible'; and 
  • Aged 16 or 17 years old; 
  • Immediately before being detained or in hospital you were 'Eligible' OR
  • Lived for continious period of 6 months or more with parent, someone with parental responsibility and where those arrangements break down

You are a FORMER RELEVANT care leaver if:

  • You are aged 18 years or above, and either have been a Relevant or Eligible child when under 18
  • If at the age of 21 or before reaching the age of 25 you are in education or training, then you will remain a former relevant child until the end of that agreed programme
  • If after 21 years you inform us that you want to pursue or are pursuing a programme of education or training

You are a QUALIFYING care leaver if:

  • You are at least 16 but under 21; and
  • You were looked after immediately prior to the making of a special guardianship order which was in force when you reached 18; or 
  • If at any time, after you reached the age of 16 but while you were still a child was, but is no longer looked after, accommodated or fostered; or 
  • As a Qualifying Care Leaver you are able to access advice and assistane based on a needs assessment completed by the Leaving and After Care Team 

The Law Society can be used to find an accredited solicitor:

https://solicitors.lawsociety.org.uk/

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