Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 part 11 - continuing care: guidance

10. Ending Continuing Care

Every effort should be made to resolve issues before they can be considered as a reason for ending Continuing Care arrangements. If the home was suitable when the young person was looked after it is unlikely it would not be suitable when they cease to be looked after. Only in the most exceptional of circumstances would it be expected that an issue identified in a Welfare Assessment as significantly adversely affecting a young person’s welfare would be unresolvable.

A young person’s Continuing Care placement can only be ended if the welfare of the young person in Continuing Care is significantly adversely affected. As such, a young person’s Continuing Care placement should not cease where there are concerns about another person’s welfare or wellbeing in the same placement. This does not mean that a challenging relationship within the placement should not be considered as part of a Welfare Assessment, but it must be shown that the welfare of the young person in the Continuing Care placement will be significantly adversely affected by the challenging relationship and by continuing to live in the same accommodation.

The Welfare Assessment should explicitly evidence and record that every effort has been made for the young person to remain in the home and that all options have been exhausted before concluding that there is no option but to end the placement.

The relationship between a carer and a looked after child is of paramount importance and one of the main reasons that Continuing Care should be encouraged, along with a consistent home environment.