Care Leaver Payment: consultation

4. Consultation Questionnaire

Purpose of the proposed Care Leaver Payment

The Scottish Government proposes the establishment of a Care Leaver Payment.

The purpose of the payment is to help reduce some of the financial barriers which young people face whilst moving on from care into adulthood and more independent living.

1. How well do you think the name of the payment represents its purpose and intention?

• Name of the payment represents the purpose and intention of the payment
• Name of the payment somewhat represents the purpose and intention of the payment
• Name of the payment does not represent the purpose and intention of the payment.

Please explain why you think this and what you would call the payment instead.

2. Do you think the payment can fulfil the purpose set out above?

• Yes
• No
• Unsure

Please explain your answer.

Payment amount and processes

Previous commitments made by the Scottish Government indicated that the Care Experience Grant (now known as the Care Leaver Payment) would be an annual payment of £200 for 10 years.

Based on stakeholder feedback and early user testing, the Scottish Government has revised its approach to the Care Leaver Payment.

The Scottish Government now proposes the Care Leaver Payment is a one-off lump sum payment of £2000.

This change reflects views on the current cost of living and the potential limited impact of yearly payments of £200. It has also been highlighted that it could be challenging to deliver annual payments over 10 years without a re-application process.

3. What are your views on the revised approach proposed by the Scottish Government?

4. How helpful would a payment of £2000 be at the point of moving on from care?

• Not at all helpful
• Somewhat helpful
• Helpful
• Very helpful

Please explain your answer.

5. Would it be beneficial for applicants to have a choice in how their payment is made?

For example, having the payment made in instalments of smaller amounts over a period of time rather than as a lump sum.

• Yes
• No
• Unsure

Please provide any suggestions you have.

6. At what point would it be most helpful for care leavers to receive the payment?

• In preparation of moving on from care
• At the point of moving on from care
• Within one year of moving on from care
• Within 18 months of moving on from care
• Other

Please explain your answer and provide any other suggestions you have.

Impact of the proposed Care Leaver Payment

7. What might this payment help young people achieve when they are moving on from care?

8. Do you think this payment could have any negative impact on young people leaving care?

Please explain your answer.

Eligibility criteria for applicants

The Scottish Government proposes that people leaving care from the age of 16 will be eligible to apply for the payment if they are looked after by a local authority in Scotland at the point of moving on from care.

The care settings and placement types which would be considered eligible include:

• foster care
• residential care
• formal kinship care
• informal kinship care where a Kinship Care Order is in place (as per section 72 of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014)
• secure care, and
• those in receipt of Continuing Care, which is where a young person born after 1 April 1999 who is looked after in foster, kinship or residential care is eligible to remain in their current care placement until they turn 21.

9. What are your views on the proposed eligibility criteria for applicants of the payment?

10. Is there anything else you think the Scottish Government should take into consideration related to eligibility criteria for the Care Leaver Payment?

Age requirements for applicants

The Scottish Government proposes that young people moving on from care, aged 16 to 25, will be eligible to apply for and receive the payment.

The reasoning for the age range proposed is that it will include the cohort of young people with care experience that the Scottish Government thinks should receive a Care Leaver Payment.

This age range includes individuals leaving care from the age of 16 and individuals potentially in receipt of Aftercare support, which care leavers are eligible to access until they reach their 26^th birthday.

11. What are your views on the proposed age requirements for applicants of the payment?

Income requirements for applicants

The Scottish Government proposes that an individual's income should not impact their eligibility for the payment.

The Scottish Government also proposes that the receipt of this payment should not negatively impact an individual's entitlement to other support.

12. What are your views on an applicant's income impacting their eligibility for the payment?

13. What are your views on this payment impacting an individual's entitlement to other support?

The application process

The Scottish Government is considering which body or organisation could deliver the proposed Care Leaver Payment.

To help inform this decision, consideration is being given to how the application process and receipt of the payment will be experienced by applicants.

14. What should the experience of applying for and receiving the proposed Care Leaver Payment look and feel like for applicants?

Support to apply for the payment

The Scottish Government proposes that support is provided to those who require it when applying for the payment.

15. Do you think young people should have support to apply for the payment?

Yes

No

Unsure

16. What support might a young person need when applying for the payment?

17. How should this support be provided?

Support for those who have received a payment

The Scottish Government is considering what further support, such as financial management support, may be required for those who receive the payment.

18. What support might a young person need once they have received the payment?

19. How should this support be provided?

Awareness and publicity

The Scottish Government wants to ensure that as many people as possible who may be eligible for the payment know about it and have the opportunity to apply.

In order this information is widely shared and understood, we will use a variety of methods of communication including but not limited to:

• public awareness campaigns
• social media
• community hubs
• healthcare practices
• educational establishments, and
• key workers in the lives of children, young people and their families.

20. Are there any other communication channels you think we should consider which have not been set out above?

Future consideration of financial assistance for people with care experience

Legislation is required to deliver the proposed Care Leaver Payment. A provision has been included in the Social Security (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill which will allow Scottish Ministers to provide financial assistance to people with experience of the care system. The proposed Care Leaver Payment would be delivered using this legislation.

A further consultation will be conducted on the details of the payment and its administration in advance of the power in the Social Security (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill being exercised.

21. Is there anything else you think the Scottish Government should consider in the development and delivery of the payment?

22. What other financial assistance might those with care experience benefit from in the future?