Who is a care leaver?

It can often be confusing understanding the terms that councils use to describe care leavers. These terms are used to help define what support and entitlements you will receive. We understand that this isn’t language young people would choose to explain their experience of being cared for, your personal advisor or social worker will be able to support you with understanding this.

If you are unsure if you are a care leaver, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with The Hub where someone will be able to help you with this information.

Eligible Care Leaver

You are an Eligible Care Leaver if:

  • you are currently looked after; and
  • aged 16 or 17; and
  • you have been looked after for a period of 13 weeks (or periods amounting to 13 weeks) which began after you reached 14 and ended after you reached 16

Relevant Care Leaver

You are a Relevant Care Leaver if:

  • you are no longer looked after by the Local Authority but you have been ‘Eligible’ ; and
  • are aged 16 or 17 years old;
  • You were 'Eligible' immediately before being detained or in hospital;
  • or lived for continuous period of 6 months or more with a parent, someone with parental responsibility and where those arrangements break down.

Former Relevant

You are a Former Relevant Care Leaver if:

  • if you are aged 18 years or above; and
  • have been either a Relevant or Eligible child when under 18 

If at the age of 21 or before reaching the age of 25 you are in education or training, then you will remain a former relevant child until the end of the agreed programme.

Qualifying Care Leaver

You are a Qualifying Care Leaver if:

  • You are aged between 16 years - 21 years (or 25 years if you are in further education or training)
  • You were looked-after by Children’s Services for a period of time between your 16th and 18th birthday
  • You were subject to a Special Guardianship Order or if age 18 was subject to an SGO (and was looked after immediately prior to the making of the Order)
  • You were ceased to be looked after and returned to, or remained living with a parent or person who has parental responsibility and after completing 6 months at home.
  • You were looked after at any point after the age of 16 and is no longer looked after (minimum of 24 hours)
  • You were looked after at any point after the age of 16 but has not completed 13 weeks of being looked after and is therefore not an ‘eligible care leaver’
  • If you were privately fostered and are now over the age of 16.

As a Qualifying Care Leaver, you can access advice and we will keep in touch with you. You are entitled to support for accommodation during your college or university holidays if you are studying full-time away from home, until you are 25.

Support for Qualifying Care Leavers

If you are a Qualifying Care Leaver, you may not be eligible for the full local offer. However, you are still able request advice, support, and guidance.

Once you make a request, you’ll be allocated a personal advisor who will carry out a one-off needs assessment, which will be documented in a pathway plan. This plan will explore your individual support needs across key areas such as:

  • Housing
  • Education, training, and employment
  • Health and wellbeing.

After your identified needs have been met, your case may be closed. However, if your circumstances change, you can request another one-off assessment at any time, as long as you continue to hold Qualifying Care Leaver status.

To request support, please contact Wigan’s Leaving Care team, or visit the Care Leavers Hub, 617 Liverpool Road, Platt Bridge, WN2 5BD.