West Dunbartonshire has not made care experience a protected characteristic.
Care Leaver Local Offer
West Dunbartonshire has not published a Local Offer for Care Leavers in accordance with Section 2 of the Children and Social Work Act 2017
The Local Offer is available:
on the web: Not available
as a document: Not available
as an app: No
We are unable to confirm whether at West Dunbartonshire care leavers co-produce the local offer.
The best person to contact regarding the Local Offer is:
Name:
Allan J White
Email Address:
throughcare&[email protected]
Telephone:
01415628800
Council Tax
West Dunbartonshire has exempted care leavers from Council Tax
Council tax is exempted up to the age of: 26. This is stipulated by Government not the authority.
West Dunbartonshire includes care leavers from other areas in their council tax exemption policy
To apply care leavers need to:
Online application to the council.
Housing
Care leavers receive priority for social housing
Priority is offered up to the age of: 22
Banding priority is: Different in Scotland, but highest priority below people with medical points.
Additional information / how to qualify:
By working/engaging with the Throughcare team
Care leavers do not get to practice independent living with taster flats
West Dunbartonshire will not in principle assist as a guarantor for care leavers in private rented property
West Dunbartonshire in principle will assist with providing a deposit for care leavers in private rented property
Details:
Our housing does have a rent deposit scheme.
Setting up a home
Care leavers are provided with a setting up allowance
Allowance amount: ££2500
West Dunbartonshire will not in principle assist with support to pay at least the first year TV licence for care leavers
West Dunbartonshire will not in principle assist with support to pay at least the first year home contents insurance for care leavers
West Dunbartonshire will not in principle assist with support to pay for redecoration costs of a care leavers first flat
West Dunbartonshire will not in principle assist with support with broadband costs for care leavers
West Dunbartonshire in principle will assist with support with mobile phone costs for care leavers
West Dunbartonshire will not pay towards cooking equipment for care leavers
Employment and Apprenticeships
West Dunbartonshire does not offer work experience within the council for care leavers
West Dunbartonshire will pay for work/interview clothes
West Dunbartonshire will pay towards travel to work or training
There are no ringfenced apprenticeship vacancies for care leavers at West Dunbartonshire
We are unable to confirm if there are care leavers working as apprenticeships within West Dunbartonshire
Additional information about work and training:
Posts aren't ringfenced but interviews are guaranteed to care leavers.
Links to Skills Development Scotland, Working4U, various training programmes etc
Participation in Society
West Dunbartonshire will ensure each young person has ID documents when they leave care
Passport: Yes
Provisional Driving Licence: Yes
Birth Certificate: Yes
West Dunbartonshire in principle will assist with driving lessons
West Dunbartonshire in principle will assist with driving theory tests
West Dunbartonshire in principle will assist with driving tests
West Dunbartonshire in principle will assist with CBT tests
Partners local to West Dunbartonshire offer support with free travel for care leavers
Bus: No
Train / Tram: No
Additional details:
Skills Development Scotland, Working4u etc provide travel tokens
Scottish Government will provide free travel for all under 22 from Jan
2022
Access to corporate parents
Care leavers have the opportunity to meet with their corporate parents (councillors)
Care leavers have the opportunity for mentoring with any of the senior leadership team
Additional details:
We have a Champions Board who have care leavers working for them.
Children in care and care leavers council
West Dunbartonshire has a children in care and care leavers council
Details of council:
The Champions Board
Children in care and care leavers council has its own bank account
Children in care and care leavers council does not have its own constitution
Health and Wellbeing
Care leavers get free access to leisure facilities as part of the Local Offer
Free gym membership: Yes
Free swimming: Yes
Free classes: No
Free leisure up to the age of: 26
They cannot take a friend for free
Details to apply:
Throughcare or the Champions Board.
Special Occasions
We are unable to confirm whether West Dunbartonshire pays towards Christmas and other religious celebrations for care leavers
Details:
A Christmas gift/cash.
West Dunbartonshire pays towards birthday celebrations for care leavers
Details:
We send cards and celebrate big birthdays with gifts or meals out.
Relationships
West Dunbartonshire has peer mentors (other care leavers)
West Dunbartonshire has other mentoring schemes
Access to care files
Young people do not have to go through the complaints dept to access their care files
Young people who access their care files get emotional support before, during and after disclosure
Details:
They can request from the HSCP
Emotional support is being piloted
Facts and Figures
We are unable to confirm the number of looked after children in West Dunbartonshire over the last 10 years
We are unable to confirm the number of care leavers aged 16-24 in West Dunbartonshire
We are unable to confirm the percentage of care leavers in West Dunbartonshire who were not in education, training or employment over the last 10 years
Political Control
We are unable to confirm the political control of West Dunbartonshire
If you think this information needs updating then please get in touch