McGimpsey welcomes guidance for foster carers

Social Services Minister, Michael McGimpsey, has welcomed the launch of regional guidance to support foster children in their transition to adulthood.

The guidance for foster carers forms part of a social services scheme to provide continued care and support to young people by enabling them to stay with their foster carers when they reach the age of 18. The scheme, recently renamed ‘Going the Extra Mile’ (GEM), was set up in 2006 and is available to young people aged 18 -21 years.

Welcoming the guidance, which was launched today at Queen’s University Belfast, Michael McGimpsey said: “Meeting the continuing care, financial and accommodation needs of looked after young people as they make the transition from care to adulthood is essential to give them a positive, secure and stable start.

“My Department has provided dedicated funding of £1.1million to implement and support the GEM scheme, which is unique to Northern Ireland.

“This guidance will provide carers, social workers and others with up to date and relevant information to help them continue to support and plan effectively for the young people they care for.”

The Minister continued: “It is encouraging that the young people themselves contributed significantly to the development of this work and one young person, in particular, even designed the new name and logo for the ‘Going the Extra Mile’ Scheme.

“The GEM scheme has proved to be very popular here, with over 200 young people benefiting from maintaining vital daily support and connection with family life as they move into adulthood.”

Notes to editors:

1. The GEM Scheme, Going the Extra Mile, is a region-wide initiative aimed at promoting continuity and stability of living arrangements in post care life for young people aged 18-21 years who currently reside with foster carers/kinship carers.

2. The success of the GEM scheme in Northern Ireland has resulted in the Department of Education (formerly Department of Children, Schools and Families) piloting a similar scheme in eleven local authorities in England.

3. There are currently 206 care leavers on the scheme, the majority of whom are actively involved in various forms of training education, volunteering, pre-vocational and employment activities.

4. The guidance was first produced in August 2006 by a Regional Task Force with a remit to review it to ensure its ongoing relevance and usefulness. An independent evaluation of the scheme was completed in June 2008.

5. The guidance has been fully revised and updated in consultation with carers, young people and social workers. It gives direction to those with responsibility for working with young people about timely planning and supports young people and carers to make choices and plans for the time when the young person is leaving care.

6. The guidance: Section 1 provides an overview of the scheme, Section 2 provides detail on operational arrangements, and Section 3 provides an overview of monitoring arrangements and measures for improvement. It will be issued through Trusts, the Fostering Network and the Regional Fostering Service, to social workers, carers and young people in all Trust areas.

7. Information leaflets have also been designed for the carers and the young people illustrating how the scheme can be used including what entitlements and benefits are available to all those accessing the scheme.

8. The seminar brought together representatives from DHSSPS, the Health and Social Care Board (Commissioning function), Health and Social Care Trusts (providers), Queen’s University Belfast and other departments and statutory and voluntary organisations who contribute to improving the health and well-being outcomes for young people leaving care. Young people and foster carers who are currently availing of the scheme were also in attendance.

9. Media enquiries to DHSSPS Press Office on 028 9052 0074. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Office via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.