Care Leaver Payment: consultation analysis

9 Support for payment recipients (Q18 and Q19)

9.1 This chapter presents respondents’ views regarding the support young people should receive after they have received the payment.

9.2 The consultation explained that the Scottish Government is considering what further support young people will need – for example, financial management support – after they have received a payment. There were two questions inviting views on the kind of support needed, and how it should be provided.

Question 18: What support might a young person need once they have received the payment? Please share your views.

Question 19: How should this support be provided? Please share your views.

Support after receiving the payment (Q18)

9.3 Question 18 asked respondents for their views on the type of support a young person might need after receiving a payment. This was an open question and, altogether, 64 respondents – 32 organisations and 32 individuals – provided comments. The views expressed are discussed below.

9.4 In answering Question 18, respondents described the characteristics of the type of support a young person might need once they have received the payment. They thought the support available should be well-signposted, personalised, flexible, easy to access, consistent across all geographic areas, and available for as long as necessary. (Note that the characteristics identified by respondents in relation to support following receipt of the payment closely mirrored the characteristics of the support required during the application process as set out in relation to Question 16 – see Chapter 6 – above. Indeed, respondents often answered this questions simply by saying ‘as above’, or ‘see Question 16 above’.)

9.5 As far as the content of any support following receipt of the payment was concerned, the main issue identified was that young people should have access to ‘financial education’, ‘financial planning advice’ or ‘financial literacy courses’. Respondents explained that this would include advice and guidance in relation to:

• Budgeting (for rent or mortgage costs, energy costs, council tax, student loans, other bills, food, living expenses, regular savings, etc.)
• Setting up and managing a bank account (including setting up direct debits, understanding overdraft and credit facilities, debt management, organising paperwork and receipts, etc.)
• Identifying rights and entitlements in relation to benefits and other financial support (including support for digital access and inclusion, disability living allowance, Care Experience Bursary, council tax exemption, parental entitlement, etc.) in order to maximise income
• Decision-making on how to prioritise expenditure and achieve value for money, and ensure the money did not get ‘blown away’
• Minimising the risk of being financially exploited or ‘scammed’.

9.6 One individual stated that advice and support was not enough on its own if the amount of money available was not sufficient.

How support should be provided (Q19)

9.7 Question 19 asked respondents for views on how support should be provided to young people once they have received a Care Leaver Payment. This was an open question and, altogether, 62 respondents – 30 organisations and 32 individuals – provided comments. The views expressed are discussed below. (Note that respondents often answered this question simply by saying ‘as above’, or ‘see Question 17 above’. The analysis of Question 17 is set out in Chapter 6.)

9.8 A small number of respondents offered specific views on how this support should be provided – saying for example ‘by Continuing Care or Aftercare teams’ or ‘by advocacy services’. However, respondents were more likely to say (as they did at Q17) that support should be provided in a way that best suited the specific individual. Moreover, the individuals and organisations that respondents suggested should be involved in providing this support, together with the range of possible delivery options proposed, largely mirrored the suggestions set out in Question 17 above – albeit with a greater emphasis on organisations with a specific focus on financial management (e.g. banks, Citizens Advice Bureaux, etc.).

9.9 Additional points made in response to Question 19 were that:

• A risk assessment should be undertaken by the local authority or relevant representative in advance of a young person receiving the Care Leaver Payment. If the young person was not confident to manage the payment themselves, if they were assessed to be vulnerable, or if a risk that could not be satisfactorily mitigated was identified, then appropriate safeguards and controls should be put in place. This might involve a key worker or agency having access to the funds on behalf of the young person.
• Training for all relevant staff would need to be put in place before the roll out of the Care Leaver Payment. The training should cover all relevant individuals (lead professionals, guidance staff, care workers, carers, etc.), as well as public, private and third sector organisations (including banks, benefits agencies and housing organisations) who might be interacting with a young person leaving care.
• Existing organisations in this field are known to be working under great pressure. Therefore, it is not clear that additional responsibilities can be taken on without further investment or funding.
• It should not be necessary for a young person to accept support in order to receive the Care Leaver Payment.
• All school-age children and young people in Scotland – not just care leavers – should receive financial education through Curriculum for Excellence. It is a basic life skill for everyone.