The Islington Plan for Looked After Children and ... - Islington Council

Seventeen looked after young people have severe and
complex disabilities (As at September 2010)
A small number of these young people who have been looked after on a
permanent basis leave care each year. Young people who require ongoing
statutory support are transferred at 14 years to a specialist Transitions Team
to enable a smooth transition to Adults’ Social Care services. The Transitions
Team can work with young people up to 25 years if required. A 16+ Panel
meets regularly to plan transition for young people who do not qualify for
statutory support from Adults’ Social Care. These tend to be young people
with autism who do not have associated learning or physical disabilities.
Over sixty per cent of the children who came into Islington’s
care in the last two years were under eleven years
The number of very young children coming into care has been stable from
year to year over the last six years (although there is some variation within
each year). These children tend to move from foster care into a permanent
family arrangement, i.e. return home, special guardianship or adoption.
Recently more sixteen and seventeen year olds are coming
into care
There were 63 young people placed in temporary accommodation because
they presented as homeless at age sixteen or seventeen years old. Of these,
25 young people became looked after. Therefore, overall numbers of children
looked after have increased. This is due to changes in statutory requirements
in relation to youth homelessness.
Two thirds of children who come into care do so due to abuse
and neglect
There is little variation in terms of their gender or age. Children of all ages
tend to become looked after due to abuse and neglect. Children over the age
of eleven tend to have higher levels of need, e.g. involvement in crime and on
remand to the local authority, emotional and behavioural difficulties,
substance misuse, involvement in anti social behaviour or gang activity, they
may be pregnant, beyond parental control and/or at risk of homelessness.
43 separate remands were made by the Courts in 2009/10 in
relation to 36 young people
Of these, 35 were remanded into custody, 4 were court ordered secure
remands, and 4 were remanded to local authority accommodation.
Two thirds of children coming into care will leave within a
year. Twenty five per cent leave within four months
A third remain in care for three or more years or until they are eighteen with
older children more likely to stay in care for more than a year. When children
become looked after between the ages of eight to twelve, they are more likely
to remain in care.
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