# Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000, Section 1: Further duties of local authorities towards children whom they are looking after.

Extent: E+W

In Part II of Schedule 2 to the Children Act 1989 (“the 1989 Act”), which contains provision as to children being looked after by local authorities, after paragraph 19 insert—
“ Preparation for ceasing to be looked after
19A It is the duty of the local authority looking after a child to advise, assist and befriend him with a view to promoting his welfare when they have ceased to look after him.
19B (1) A local authority shall have the following additional functions in relation to an eligible child whom they are looking after.
(2) In sub-paragraph (1) “eligible child” means, subject to sub-paragraph (3), a child who—
(a) is aged sixteen or seventeen; and
(b) has been looked after by a local authority for a prescribed period, or periods amounting in all to a prescribed period, which began after he reached a prescribed age and ended after he reached the age of sixteen.
(3) The Secretary of State may prescribe—
(a) additional categories of eligible children; and
(b) categories of children who are not to be eligible children despite falling within sub-paragraph (2).
(4) For each eligible child, the local authority shall carry out an assessment of his needs with a view to determining what advice, assistance and support it would be appropriate for them to provide him under this Act—
(a) while they are still looking after him; and
(b) after they cease to look after him,
and shall then prepare a pathway plan for him.
(5) The local authority shall keep the pathway plan under regular review.
(6) Any such review may be carried out at the same time as a review of the child’s case carried out by virtue of section 26.
(7) The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision as to assessments for the purposes of sub-paragraph (4).
(8) The regulations may in particular provide for the matters set out in section 23B(6).
Personal advisers
19C A local authority shall arrange for each child whom they are looking after who is an eligible child for the purposes of paragraph 19B to have a personal adviser.”.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/35/section/1 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/children-leaving-care-act-2000/section-1
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.