Local Authority Contributions to Child Trust Fund Accounts of Looked After Children

On 20 September 2005 the Assembly considered a feasibility report and approved a motion for the introduction of a special grant scheme to encourage local authorities to make annual contributions to the Child Trust Find (CTF) accounts of children they look after.  The Assembly also agreed that we should consult further on the criteria of children that would be eligible.

I undertook to report back on the outcome of the consultation and details of the final scheme to be implemented in 2006. The consultation ends on 15 April 2006. Later this spring I will report back to the Assembly with details of the final scheme to be implemented from September this year.

The consultation follows an earlier consultation undertaken in August 2005. Copies of both consultations and the guidance on CTF issued by HM Revenue & Customs is available on the Assembly’s Children First website –@www.childrenfirst.wales.gov.uk.

In addition, in response to a number of Written Assembly Questions tabled for answer on 14 March 2006 in respect of the CTF grant, details of the
scheme ,including the numbers of children that are likely to be eligible, have been made available on the Assembly website.