When a young person becomes 18, they are legally, no longer a looked after child.

Their placement with a foster family can no longer be classed as a foster placement.

However, a fostered young person can remain living with their foster family when they reach the age of 18, if that is what they and their foster carers want, to finish their education, for example. This way a stable family home can be guaranteed at a crucial transitional period. This is called a ‘Staying Put’ arrangement.

At CANW many of our foster carers maintain lifelong relationships with the children and young people they have fostered. We celebrate and support this, recognising the importance of a strong support system as young people leave the formal care system, whether that was fostering or residential care, and step out into the adult world.

Supporting care-experienced young people

Our dedicated team offers a range of services to support care-experienced young people to strengthen their independence skills through 1 to 1 mentoring, therapeutic counselling and peer support. We also organise a range of group activities and workshops focussing on the physical and emotional health of care leavers as well as furthering their social skills and widening their social networks.

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Key contacts

Tel: 0800 634 5300
Email: placements@canw.org.uk

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