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THROUGHCARE AND AFTERCARE OF LOOKED AFTER CHILDREN IN SCOTLAND

ANNEX B The Scottish Throughcare and Aftercare Forum and Who Cares? Scotland

IN THEIR OWN WORDS

The views of young people leaving care

THE RESULTS OF AN INITIAL CONSULTATION ON THE PROPOSED TRANSFER OF DSS RESOURCES TO LOCAL AUTHORITIES

Compiled by Alison Caulfield-Dow assisted by Deirdre A Watson, November 2000

Introduction
The Scottish Throughcare and Aftercare Forum in collaboration with Who Cares? Scotland carried out this piece of consultation, following a request by the Scottish Executive's Throughcare and Aftercare Working Group. The Throughcare and Aftercare Working Group was set up at the beginning of 2000, to look at the variety of issues involved in the implementation of new arrangements for supporting young people leaving care, aged 16-18 years old.

Aims
The aim of this consultation was to gain young people's views on leaving care, claiming benefits and gaining throughcare and aftercare support. The proposed changes to financial support will affect many young people who are leaving care. By gaining the views of young people in different parts of Scotland, it should ensure that young people's opinions are heard and that any new arrangements will reflect what young people think should happen.

The Questionnaire
Two sets of questions were devised by Who Cares? Scotland, in consultation with the Forum. These questions could be answered through group discussion or individually, and were aimed at:

• Young People in Care:who are still looked after, aged 15+.
• Care Leavers: young people who have already left care.

Respondents
The Forum received responses from 73 individuals and one group of young people. These young people were living in their own place, supported accommodation, children's homes or residential school, in 15 different areas of Scotland. Thirty-two young people answered the "Young People in Care" questions, and 45 young people and one group answered the "Care Leavers" questions. (NB - four young people answered both sets of questions.)

RESPONSES

Introduction
There was a wide range of different responses, with a variety of comments made to each of the questions. All the responses are outlined in the following pages, under the sections: "Young People in Care" and "Care Leavers". The results also include many of the young people's actual comments, so that young people can have their say, in their own words.

Young People in Care:
who are still looked after, aged 15+

Just less than half of all young people who responded, answered the questions for "Young people still looked after" (32 out of 73). These young people were currently at a residential school, in contact with a throughcare team, or living in a supported accommodation project.

Question 1: When do you think is the right time to start thinking about throughcare and moving on?

Young people gave a variety of different ages at which they felt you should start thinking about throughcare and moving on.

The following comments were also made about when it is right to move on:
"When you realise yourself that it is time to move on."
"When ready."
"ASAP."
Two young people said:
"At least 6 months before you leave."

Question 2: Who do you think is the best person to talk to about your plans for the future?

Again, young people gave a range of different responses:

A few young people gave a number of different people:
"Mum, keyworker, throughcare worker and social worker."
"Throughcare worker, social worker, keyworker."
One summed it up as:
"Someone who's going to be there."
Another commented:
"Some throughcare teams don't run efficiently. In my area, there are only three workers for the whole area. Each worker has an average of thirty young people to deal with - this is very unrealistic."

Question 3:What are your plans/thoughts about moving on?

There were several different plans and thoughts about moving on:

Some other thoughts about moving on were:
"When I feel I'm ready."
"I would like a supported flat before getting my own."
"Get a job, own flat in the countryside - looking forward to moving on."
"I am a little upset about it, but you have to."
"I'm worried about having to go and live in a hostel."
"Either move in with a parent or get a house. I want to move on when I am ready but just now I feel I wouldn't like to because I don't like being on my own."
"When the time comes I hope that throughcare will have enough staff to support me."

Question 4:If you are about to move on, have you been able to talk to somebody about it and work out how and when it would happen?

A high proportion of the young people who were still looked after were generally positive about this but a significant percentage were not so sure.

One young person identified:
"Keyworker, auntie, relatives."
Another made the following comment:
"I'm not ready to move on, but feel I have plenty of support and people to talk to."
Others observed:
"I am currently being assisted by Barnardo's 16+ project."
"I am aged 15 ¹/2 - no throughcare as yet - I want information about when and where to."
"I am going to move on, between 10 months and up to a year from now but every time I mention it my carer does not listen and tells me it is a long time away, but it isn't really."

Question 5:Do you know what your financial benefit rights will be?

It was concerning that the majority of young people who were still looked after did not know what their financial benefit rights were.

One young person stated:
"Not sure about financial side. Will get keyworker to talk about it."

Question 6:Who would you ask about that?

Young people gave a wide variety of different people who they would go and ask about financial benefits.

These responses reflected that although social work came out slightly in front there was not one unanimously preferred choice to whom young people would go to seek advice or information about benefits.

Question 7:If you had the choice, who do you think you would like to talk to about money?

(a) Social Work Department

(b) Benefits Office

(c) Someone Else

There was not one answer that was the preferred choice by any significant margin.

One young person said they preferred both (a) and (b) because:
"The benefits agency can give exact information and social work can give me advice on how it will affect me."
"Social Work Department, because I already know them."
"Benefits office, because I don't like social workers."
"Benefits Agency would treat me like everyone else."
"Benefits office would take ages to process the money."
"Throughcare because I can't trust them."

Question 8: Why did you choose a, b or c?

The following are specific comments that were given by the young people as reasons for their choice:

Those who chose: (a) Social Work Department:

"They always help me."
"Because I already know them."
"Privacy."
"More familiar with Social Work Department."
"The Social Work have done everything else for me."

Being familiar with the people who offer support is important for many young people, as they can feel more comfortable with people they know and trust.

Those who chose: (b) Benefits Agency:

"Because they know about it."
"Because they will provide me with money."
"Best people to talk to about money I am entitled to."
"Because the Social Work Department don't always tell you everything that you need to know."
"Benefits office would know more about it."

These comments reflect how it is crucial for people to have thorough knowledge of how the financial support systems work, in order to offer effective support for young people. Staff need to know exactly what they are talking about, but be able to make it clear and understandable for young people.

Those who chose: (c) Someone Else:

"Nobody else listens."
"Because the rest of them flog you off!!"
"Because I would much rather talk to family or care workers."
Some of the young people were very specific about who they would prefer to get support from and why:
"My sister - 'cause I know her better and trust her."
"16+ Project put it into a language I can understand."
"My keyworker. Because you know him."

Many young people obviously have several different preferred choices of who to go to for advice and support.

General Comments:

One group of young people were clear in their point of view:

"Don't care, as long as it is paid on time."

This reflects the importance of whatever new systems are put in place, that they are efficient and do not leave young people stranded, without money.

Care Leavers:

Young people who have already left care.

Over a half of young people responded to the "care leavers" questions (45 out of 73), although four young people had also answered the questions for "young people still looked after". These young people were living in a variety of different types of accommodation, e.g. supported accommodation, their own place or a hostel.

Question 1:Did you feel it was the right time in your life to start thinking about throughcare and moving on?

Question 1(a):At what age was it?

The responses to these two questions have been combined below. This illustrates the age that young people were thinking about or actually moving on from care and whether they felt that it was the right time in their life:

Number of young people who said this
Was it the right time in your life...?

From the responses, it appeared that some young people put the age at which they started to think about moving on, whereas others may have put the age at which they actually left care.

The following comments were also made about moving on:
"I had no choice as I fell pregnant at 16."
"I should have stayed longer."
"I got a lot of support from my keyworker. But it came at the wrong time. I was the only young person doing GCSEs in the unit."
"It should be up to you when you are ready to move on."
"Social worker mentioned it because they wanted me out of the foster care placement. I got shoved out."
"I left care two days before 16. I always said I would move in with Mum as soon as I turned 16 - it did not work. The idea came from me as I did not like the idea of not living with my parents, all my pals did."

These answers show that young people had mixed experiences and mixed feelings about how they felt. Without further exploration, it is hard to know why a young person felt it was the right time or not. It is possible that young people who felt it was the right time at 15 years old, were receiving preparation and support at an earlier age. A higher number of young people felt that 16 was not the right age.

One young person made the following comment:
"It should be properly started at school leaving age. If in mainstream school, it should be after GCSEs."

Question 1(b):Where or who did the suggestion come from?

A wide range of responses were given to this question:

The following reasons were also given:
"No choice - no funding."
"I had to get my own flat."
"I ran away."
"I wanted to leave care, but the social worker made a decision."
"I couldn't stay at the residential school - because I was pregnant they accommodated me."
"Children's unit pushed me into moving on - or to start thinking about it."
"I have started to think about moving to my own flat - what I am going to buy, and how I am going to budget my money. No-one talked to me about this in the unit. I would like someone to start helping me to think about this."
"I did not think it was the right time, I know I had to move on some time but my age should not have been the leading reason."
"Yes I thought it was the right time to move on, but now I wish I had stayed in foster care for longer."

Question 1(c):Do you think it affected your schooling?

NB - A number of young people were not at school at the time.

The vast majority of young people said they felt that leaving care did not affect their schooling.

The following comments were also made:
"I had been thrown out of school."
"I had left school by then."
"It was in the middle of standard grades. It gave me a lot of worries. I wasn't concentrating on exams."
" I wasn't at school - not attending, but it had a huge impact on my life."
"Yes it affected my exams. It was mad being in that place."

Question 2:In your experience, did your support get better or worse when you left care?

Again, young people had varied experiences, with responses being equally shared between better, worse and the same.
"Too many people involved in my life because of my son - giving me different advice. It was confusing."

Question 2(a):What was the most difficult change/transition to make? (good or bad)

In response to this question, there were many different things that young people found most difficult. The most common answers were:

Young people also stated the following things:
"Moving back in with my Mum."
"Learning to stand on my own two feet."
"Not having as many people around."
"Shopping, cooking, budgeting."
"I was rushed out too quickly, and the move on accommodation wasn't good."
Some young people also mentioned some good things about moving on.
"Being able to do what I wanted, when I wanted."
"I got to choose where I wanted to live."
"More independence."
More general comments:
"Loneliness - five years really to get over it."
"Loneliness - money led to depression."
"I had nobody to fall back on."
"I was fast tracked out of care."
"When I left care the support got better - I had more contact with throughcare."
"Independence is good."
"It would be helpful to talk to someone with experience, like someone who was in care and who has gone through the same as us."
"The worst thing was money and going from a house full of people to just me with nobody supporting or helping me. I got more support in care.
"The most difficult transition was living in a hostel with 13 adults after living in a unit with six young people."
"I only left foster placement for four months. When it did not work out at Mum's I could not go back to carers. Social work knew I was not ready to move back home. I had to move into a homeless unit, I had nobody."
"I got on better with social work after I left care."

Question 2(b):Did everyone involved work together to help you?

Some of the young people who answered "yes" also gave these comments:
"I had the same social worker."
"My care worker."
"Yes - apart from social work."
"Just a couple of people in the children's home helped, but they had nothing really to do with my case."
The following comments we made by the young people who answered more negatively:
"At the start, but then drifted."
"Hardly saw my social worker."
"My contact with social workers was never kept, so I got myself into a lot of problems."
Some more general comments:
"People don't seem to talk to each other."
"They disagreed about what was best for me."
"No, they said they would draw up a plan to see me but they did not come the amount of times it said in my plan."
"Nobody worked together, I just got pushed out. Social work has not done anything to help me since I left care. They are not interested in me anymore. They come twice monthly but it makes no difference. I get half an hour if I'm lucky."
"I only contact social work when something goes wrong."

Although most young people said that people worked together to support them, many still seemed disappointed or unhappy that their contact with their social worker did not continue.

Question 2(c):How much contact did you have with the Social Work Department?

As can be seen, the Social Work Department's contact with young people varied greatly after they had left care.

Two young people mentioned how they had some contact at first, but then it "faded out" or "dwindled away". Another three young people stated that they had "not much" or no contact from social workers, but had regular contact from the throughcare team.

The following comments were also made:
"The Social Work Department had parental rights over me 'til I was 18. I seen the resource worker when I needed."
"During the time I was leaving, it was just the children's home that I got support from."
"I feel the contact from my social worker was over and above service I should be getting - good social worker."
"I was pretty lucky that I had a social worker who cared about what happened to me."

Question 3:What was it like claiming benefits for the first time?

There were very mixed reactions to claiming benefits for the first time. Young people also stated the following things:
"It was hard work - I had to go to different places."
"Didn't like claiming benefits. I went to college to avoid benefits."
"It was OK, but not enough money."
"It's not easy. Filling out forms is a nightmare."
"It was confusing. Throughcare have always helped me with that side of things."
"I was helped to get income support by the Homeless Unit. I don't like claiming benefits it makes you look like a drop out."
"I can contact throughcare. They give you money if your claim is delayed or rejected."

Question 3(a):Did you know what you were entitled to from DSS?

There was a clear split between young people who knew what benefits they were entitled to and those who did not. More said they did not.

Two young people also stated that they knew their entitlements once their throughcare worker had told them.

Question 3(b): Was support offered/given when claiming?

Most of the young people said they had support when claiming benefits. Three young people said that this support was gained from their throughcare worker. Another one stated that it was their Careers Officer who had supported them. One young person who was supported, stated:
"As I was pregnant, they told me what I was entitled to."
One young person answered:
"No and yes! Yes by throughcare."

Question 3(c): Who would you turn to if your claim was delayed/rejected?

A high number of young people said that if a claim was delayed or rejected, they would turn to the local authority for support, from either their throughcare worker or the Social Work Department. Even though a range of responses was given, three young people felt they would not go to anyone for support. One young person stated, "Don't know who I would go to. It's all on my own back. Social work have not helped me at all."

Question 3(d):Who have you had contact with, from your local authority?

The following shows the number of young people who stated one or more of the following:

Again, young people gave several responses to this question. The majority of young people stated throughcare workers were their main form of on-going contact. Some young people answered more than one category.

Question 4:How do you think you would feel if the local authority distributed benefits rather than DSS?

The majority of young people who responded to this question gave a positive response to the prospect of local authorities distributing benefits, rather than the DSS.

The following comments were made:
"OK if it is going to be made easier for young people. If it stays the same or is worse keep it as it is."
"OK - it might be easier in the short term but many delays - to maybe use DSS system."
"I can see both sides. In one sense it would make it easier and in another it would make it harder to get into normality."
"Bit too many questions - no safety net."
"Wouldn't have to stand in queues and answer hundreds of questions."
"It would be bad because my throughcare worker works with loads of young people and you can't get hold of her."

Question 4(a):Are there any specific good/bad points you can see?

Good Points:

Some young people also made the following additional comments about good points:
"It could help the local authority when they are dealing with the young people, when they leave care."
"As a person, the DSS don't know much about you, but the local authority will know everything about a person."
"It's good, because they know you better, i.e. throughcare."
"The DSS never believe what you say. I feel easier to approach the local authority."
"More approachable maybe than DSS - more understanding of care leavers situation?"
"It would be good if housing benefits were passed over to save housing debts."
"I would feel more comfortable - as you can rely on them."

Bad Points:

A few young people also stated the following:
"I would feel awkward as I know them. The DSS aren't people I know, so it wouldn't bother me."
"I think the local authorities are already given enough work to deal with, never mind giving them more."
"It's bad enough as it stands."
"Definitely not. Would go without first."

Although young people raised not so many specific bad points, this could be due to the lack of specific information that is currently available. It is hard to try to imagine whether the new proposals will be better or worse when there are no details of how the new arrangements will work in practice.

General Points:

Several young people also gave general comments about their views on the benefits system and financial support:
"Don't care who. Just on time."
"Should have grants, not loans."
"For further education students, the age should be raised to 21 years old, for example, so they can get their benefits from local authorities."
"Young people should have benefits raised to same as others, e.g. pensioners. Should have Christmas bonus and cold weather payments."

Question 4(b):Would you be comfortable approaching the local authority in a crisis?

The vast majority of young people who had left care, said that they would be comfortable to approach the local authority in a crisis, with six young people feeling that they would not.

Some of the young people who said they would feel comfortable, gave the following reasons why:
"For me, I was in care, and I knew when you could contact the local authority and when you couldn't."
"I would (feel comfortable) with the Social Work Department, as I've been looked after for a long time and they're like my parents."
"They know the circumstances better than any other service."
"The local authority knows who is entitled to how much, and are less official, and you wouldn't feel so awkward finding out about it."
"Yes - have to take help where you can get it."
"More comfortable than approaching a stranger at DSS and getting hassle."
One young person did feel differently and stated:
"No. Last people to ask."

The good points that young people have identified should be used as specific qualities and approaches that local authorities should take when they have to administer financial support for care leavers.

Overall

In general, this piece of consultation has provided a wide variety of responses. It has not been possible to say if these young people are either totally for or against the proposals for local authorities to provide all financial support to care leavers. Instead, many of the young people consulted have raised very important points that should be fully taken into account as new arrangements are taking shape.

These young people have shared their personal views and experiences of leaving care and accessing financial support. Whilst a lot of the views expressed were generally positive, other young people reflected more negative experiences of leaving care. This could be directly due to the level of throughcare and aftercare support that they have received, or have not, as the case may be. It appears that the young people who have expressed more positive experiences, have been well supported during their transition from care, into adult living.

Young people who have experienced leaving care, or are about to, have obviously got a lot of important comments to make, from which we all should listen and learn. This is why as many actual comments as possible have been written fully in the results of this consultation.

Young People Still Looked After

From these responses, there were some significant points that became apparent. Most of the young people had positive hopes for the time when they would be leaving care. Several also stressed the importance of moving on only at a time when you feel ready.

A high number of young people stated that they felt that a member of their family was the best person to talk to about their plans for the future. Several young people also made clear reference to the advice and information that they currently, or would prefer to receive from residential staff or their keyworker. It is important to fully acknowledge the support of family members, residential staff and foster carers, as many young people can choose these as their preferred means of advice and support.

There was an extremely low number of young people who said they already knew what their financial benefit rights would be. Whilst still looked after, young people should be given sufficient information on benefit entitlement and the various means of financial support, even if they may not immediately claim benefits. This is an important part of good throughcare preparation.

It is important to ensure that whichever local authority department is chosen to offer financial support, staff must be fully equipped with up-to-date and detailed knowledge of the relevant systems. Young people have said that they prefer contact with people who know what they are talking about.

Through their responses, young people have identified qualities that they find important when seeking support. Such qualities should be translated into important aspects to be taken into consideration and applied by whichever local authority department and staff will be dealing with financial support for young people leaving care.

The following qualities have been identified as important:

• Knowing people, who also know you.
• Being able to trust them.
• Putting things in a language that is easy to understand.

Young People Who Have Left Care

Young people who had already left care, also identified a number of important qualities that they feel more comfortable with:

• Already knowing people.
• Being familiar with them.
• Having privacy.
• Being listened to.
• Having people they can talk to.

In the responses, it was also clear that young people have been in contact with many different people, from several different agencies. They also gave a variety of people with whom they would prefer to approach if a benefits claim was rejected. Some young people may also have more available options for support than others.

These options should still be made available, and young people should be able to choose to seek support from the people with whom they have built trusting relations.

Some young people did raise some bad points about the proposal to gain financial support from local authorities, and these should be taken into consideration. Two comments that stood out were:

"I would feel awkward as I know them (the local authority). The DSS aren't people I know, so it wouldn't bother me."

And...

"I think the local authorities are already given enough work to deal with, never mind giving them more."

Areas to Address in the Future

This piece of consultation is hopefully just the first step in actively seeking young people's views and experiences of leaving care and gaining support. This should be an important part of the Scottish Executive's overall consultation, when devising new throughcare and aftercare arrangements, through the proposed transfer of DSS resources to local authorities.

This particular stage of consulting young people was made slightly difficult, as there was not any concrete information on the new proposals that could be shared with young people. Instead, it was only possible to ask young people about their current experiences of leaving care and their views on receiving financial support.

There is a real need for more precise information for young people, as and when details start to become clearer. Young people need to be well informed on:

• Which young people will be affected by these changes, and who will not.
• How and when these new proposals will be introduced.
• To whom and where they need to go to receive support.
• What their entitlements will be.
• Who they can go to if they have cause for complaint or appeal.

It will also be important for this information to be provided to front-line staff and carers working in: residential and foster care, throughcare and aftercare teams, careers services, supported accommodation, etc. These are people with whom young people have the most contact, and who are usually a young person's first point of contact for information, advice and guidance. Benefits Agency staff and other local authority staff, e.g. in social work, housing and finance, should also be made aware of any new proposals and changes.

Young people have many valuable views and opinions on claiming benefits and gaining financial support, as they are the ones who have had to deal with the systems first hand. The Scottish Executive's Throughcare & Aftercare Working Group should speak with more young people about what they think are the qualities and particular approaches that a local authority should have when administering financial support for care leavers. These young people are on the receiving end of support services, and can tell us what they need, what works in practice and what makes them feel most comfortable.

As one young person said:

"Once more information comes out, and when there is a fact sheet or something that comes out about the arrangements, I'd be interested in going to the Forum or Scottish Executive meetings."

The Scottish Throughcare & Aftercare Forum would like to see other opportunities in the near future to carry out wider consultation with young people, once there are more concrete proposals. Young people should have a central role in the whole process, especially when the new regulations and guidance and any supporting information are devised.

Acknowledgements

The Scottish Throughcare & Aftercare Forum and Who Cares? Scotland would like to thank all the young people who participated in this consultation and took the time to answer the questions. We would also like to thank workers in the following projects and organisations that supported the young people's participation, and returned the questionnaires.

Aberdeen Cyrenians, Aberdeen.
Barnardos 16+ Project, Glasgow.
Geilsland School, Beith.
Go Project, Perth.
Preparation for Life Project, Alexandria.
Throughcare & Youth Homelessness Team, West Dunbartonshire.

All Young Persons Workers from Who Cares? Scotland but in particular those from the following local authority areas:

Glasgow; North Ayrshire; Fife; East Dunbartonshire; Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire; Falkirk; Clackmannanshire; Stirling; East Lothian; West Lothian.

Thanks to Stephen McGinley for his help in the preparation of materials.

In the near future, the Scottish Throughcare & Aftercare Forum and Who Cares? Scotland hope to be able to take more opportunities to consult wider with young people all over Scotland.

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