East Lothian Council has not made care experience a protected characteristic.
Care Leaver Local Offer
East Lothian Council 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
At East Lothian Council care leavers co-produce the local offer.
Details:
We work with our Champions Board to identify priorities.
The best person to contact regarding the Local Offer is:
Name:
Throughcare/ Aftercare Team
Email Address:
[email protected]
Telephone:
01875 824309
Council Tax
East Lothian Council has exempted care leavers from Council Tax
Council tax is exempted up to the age of: 26
East Lothian Council includes care leavers from other areas in their council tax exemption policy
To apply care leavers need to:
Complete a form
Housing
Care leavers receive priority for social housing
Priority is offered up to the age of: 26
We are unable to confirm the banding priority
Additional information / how to qualify:
Speak to their Throughcare aftercare worker
Care leavers do not get to practice independent living with taster flats
East Lothian Council will not in principle assist as a guarantor for care leavers in private rented property
East Lothian Council will not in principle assist with providing a deposit for care leavers in private rented property
Setting up a home
Care leavers are provided with a setting up allowance
We are unable to confirm the allowance amount
East Lothian Council in principle will assist with support to pay at least the first year TV licence for care leavers
East Lothian Council in principle will assist with support to pay at least the first year home contents insurance for care leavers
East Lothian Council in principle will assist with support to pay for redecoration costs of a care leavers first flat
East Lothian Council in principle will assist with support with broadband costs for care leavers
East Lothian Council in principle will assist with support with mobile phone costs for care leavers
East Lothian Council will pay towards cooking equipment for care leavers
Employment and Apprenticeships
East Lothian Council offers work experience within the council for care leavers
We are unable to confirm how many places per year
East Lothian Council will pay for work/interview clothes
East Lothian Council will pay towards travel to work or training
There are no ringfenced apprenticeship vacancies for care leavers at East Lothian Council
There are no care leavers working as apprenticeships within East Lothian Council
Participation in Society
East Lothian Council will ensure each young person has ID documents when they leave care
Passport: No
Provisional Driving Licence: No
Birth Certificate: Yes
East Lothian Council in principle will assist with driving lessons
East Lothian Council in principle will assist with driving theory tests
East Lothian Council in principle will assist with driving tests
East Lothian Council in principle will assist with CBT tests
Partners local to East Lothian Council offer support with free travel for care leavers
Bus: Yes
Train / Tram: No
Additional details:
Scottish Government will provide free bus travel for young people 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:
Care leavers meet with all corporate parents.
Children in care and care leavers council
East Lothian Council has a children in care and care leavers council
Details of council:
Champions Board that all care experienced children and young people can
join.
Children in care and care leavers council has its own bank account
Children in care and care leavers council has its own constitution
Details:
Care leavers all have individual needs and we consider all support within a
personalised approach – we want the very best for all our children and
young people. In our experience one size does not fit all and therefore
many of these questions do not reflect that personalised approach and we have been unable to answer.
Health and Wellbeing
Care leavers do not get free access to leisure facilities as part of the Local Offer
Special Occasions
East Lothian Council pays towards Christmas and other religious celebrations for care leavers
East Lothian Council pays towards birthday celebrations for care leavers
Relationships
East Lothian Council does not have peer mentors (other care leavers)
East Lothian Council has other mentoring schemes
Details:
Through the My Place Housing project, care leavers can live with peer mentors
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:
Support is offered
Facts and Figures
We are unable to confirm the number of looked after children in East Lothian Council over the last 10 years
We are unable to confirm the number of care leavers aged 16-24 in East Lothian Council
We are unable to confirm the percentage of care leavers in East Lothian Council who were not in education, training or employment over the last 10 years
Political Control
East Lothian Council is a Labour controlled council
If you think this information needs updating then please get in touch