Supporting young people leaving care in Scotland: regulations and guidance

Regulations and Guidance on Services for Young People Ceasing to be Looked After by Local Authorities

CHAPTER 11: INFORMATION GATHERING AND SHARING

Performance indicators

11.1 It is important for local authorities to have good monitoring arrangements and clear performance measures for throughcare and aftercare services to enable local authorities, the Executive and young people to gauge service development and delivery. The following performance indicators have been developed:

• local authorities should have accurate information about the number of looked after young people leaving care over school age in their area by age and last placement up to 19 years of age
• there should be a pathway plan for each young person ceasing to be looked after
• there should be nominated pathway co-ordinators for all young people ceasing to be looked after
• local authorities should know the destination and accommodation arrangements of those ceasing to be looked after over school age up to 19 years of age, including number of moves and periods of homelessness
• local authorities should know the education, employment, or training status of those ceasing to be looked after over school age up to 19 years of age, including length of placements and any periods of unemployment and incapacity.

11.2 Further performance indicators are likely to be introduced as services develop. These may include: service user satisfaction; the existence of partnership agreements, policy statements and inclusion of throughcare and aftercare in the Children's Services Plans; involvement of young people in developing the service; an information pack for young people leaving care; information on young people receiving an enhanced section 29 service and how much financial support is being provided; completion of assessment and action planning; information on basic health factors, for example, number registered with a dentist/GP, lone parenthood; and information on appeals and complaints received and how they have been resolved.

Information sharing

11.3 Careers Scotland is able to provide local authorities with statistical information, in line with performance measurement requirements, on further education, training and employment. To allow Careers Scotland to do this local authorities will have to provide Careers Scotland with sufficient information to allow them to contact, keep in touch and work effectively with young people. A model partnership agreement which would allow information to be exchanged between local authorities and Careers Scotland is at Annex B.

11.4 Local authorities should also consider the arrangements they need to make with other organisations - such as training colleges, accommodation providers and health services - to allow information to be exchanged. Local authorities must check to see whether the consent of the young person is required to the exchange of information.