I’m so pleased to hear today that the Government is placing a new legal duty on local authorities to provide financial support for every young person who wants to stay with their foster parents until their 21st birthday.  This is something I have discussed at length with the Homeless Association in Taunton and is much needed.  I also took part in a debate on the issue at the Conservative Party Conference in October, hosted by  Barnardo’s,  the Fostering Network and Care Leavers’ Association and chaired by  Children and Families Minister, Ed Timpson MP.

It is crucial for foster children to be given sufficient time to prepare for life after care. A growing number of local authorities already offer young people the choice to stay with their foster parents, but with little financial support it can be challenging for their foster families.

Now all councils will have to follow their example, and we are giving them £40 million towards the cost. This is a further reform to our much wider package of support for care leavers including changes to the rules so 16 and 17 year olds remain in care until they are ready to move out and much greater financial support for young people leaving care at 18.

This will allow the 10,000 young people leaving stable and secure homes to make the transition from care to independence when they are ready, rather than when their local council tells them to.