The Children and Young Persons Bill will:
● Allow the piloting of social work practices to which councils may delegate responsibilities for looked-after children and care leavers.
● Ensure that children in care do not move schools in Key Stage 4.
● Put the role of the designated teacher on a statutory footing.
● Require councils to offer a £2,000 bursary to care leavers who go on to higher education.
● Restrict out-of-authority placements.
● Introduce more checks and balances into the care planning and review system.
● Strengthen the role of the Independent Reviewing Officer by, where necessary, making their services completely independent from local authorities.
● Give young people more say in their placement plan, in particular when they move from a stable care placement to a less supportive place such as an independent flat.
● Extend the duty for social workers to visit children in care placed in children's homes and those in youth custody.
● Make "independent visitors" available to a wider group of looked-after children.
● Enable local authorities to financially support carers and make it easier for family carers to obtain orders granting legal permanency.
● Ensure continuing supervision of children in long-term residential placements arranged via health and education services.
● Give foster carers access to an independent review mechanism.
