The Highland Council

Care leavers receive priority for social housing

Priority is offered up to the age of: 26

Banding priority is: Highest priority

Additional information / how to qualify:
https://www.highland.gov.uk/info/1361/childcare_and_family_care/434/services_for_children_and_families/3
Information on our Highland Housing Register allocation policy is here:
https://www.highland.gov.uk/info/925/council_housing/244/apply_for_a_council_house

Care leavers get to practice independent living with taster flats

Additional information:
The Council has housing stock to specifically accommodate young persons who are in the process of moving to their own tenancies, where varying levels of support can be provided. The support is assessed on an individual basis.

The Highland Council will not in principle assist as a guarantor for care leavers in private rented property

The Highland Council in principle will assist with providing a deposit for care leavers in private rented property

Details:
Depending on the individual case, support can also be provided with rental costs.

Care leavers are provided with a setting up allowance

Allowance amount: ££1,800.00 as a one-off payment with the possibility of further support on an assessment-need basis, e.g. essential improvements to the property.

The Highland Council will not in principle assist with support to pay at least the first year TV licence for care leavers

The Highland Council will not in principle assist with support to pay at least the first year home contents insurance for care leavers

The Highland Council in principle will assist with support to pay for redecoration costs of a care leavers first flat

The Highland Council will not in principle assist with support with broadband costs for care leavers

The Highland Council will not in principle assist with support with mobile phone costs for care leavers

The Highland Council will pay towards cooking equipment for care leavers

The Highland Council offers work experience within the council for care leavers

Number of places per year: We do not have a set number of placements.

The Highland Council will pay for work/interview clothes

The Highland Council will pay towards travel to work or training

There are no ringfenced apprenticeship vacancies for care leavers at The Highland Council

We are unable to confirm if there are care leavers working as apprenticeships within The Highland Council

Additional information about work and training:
Unfortunately, under Section 17 of the Act we are unable to provide the number of Modern or Graduate Apprentices who are Care Leavers as we do not hold this information. For the training provision, the apprentices are requested to complete the attached induction equality monitoring form, which is entered into the Skills Development Scotland - Funding Information and Processing System. The Council is then required to destroy section A and only retain section B (signatures). As a Council we do not keep specific data on the Modern or Graduate Apprentices being Care experienced.
However, we can provide the following information for Youth Trainees:
As of 31 December 2021 the Highland Council employs 4 Care Leavers as Youth Trainees.

The Council’s Employability Team (Care Experienced Young People officers) monitors LAC and approach them as they are close to 16th year of age to support them into their transition to Care Leaving.

The Highland Council will ensure each young person has ID documents when they leave care

Passport: Yes

Provisional Driving Licence: Yes

Birth Certificate: Yes

The Highland Council will not in principle assist with driving lessons

The Highland Council will not in principle assist with driving theory tests

The Highland Council will not in principle assist with driving tests

The Highland Council will not in principle assist with CBT tests

Partners local to The Highland Council offer support with free travel for care leavers

Bus: Yes

Train / Tram: No

Additional details:
The Scottish Government provided free bus passes to all young people up to the age of 22.

Care leavers have the opportunity to meet with their corporate parents (councillors)

Care leavers do not have the opportunity for mentoring with any of the senior leadership team

Additional details:
Although this can be arranged, there is no formal process and the facilitation has been hindered by the covid restrictions.

The Highland Council does not have a children in care and care leavers council

The Highland Council does not have peer mentors (other care leavers)

The Highland Council does not have other mentoring schemes

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:
Data Rights Request can be submitted via an online form or directly with the Service. Support can be provided when required.