Care Leavers Survey 2005: Overall Summary

The inspection comprised of four main phases:

• a questionnaire survey of all 22 local authorities in Wales
• analysis of completed returns
• nspection visits to seven local authorities
• attendance at a range of meetings, including the Leaving Care Forum and focus groups of voluntary sector representatives.

The Inspection concluded that the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000 had provided real impetus for service development and improvements. Progress in many areas was being made from a low baseline and implementation was posing considerable challenges. Local authorities were putting in place a range of initiatives to deliver the purposes and aims of the Act.

At a consultation day with Leaving Care Team Managers in November 2004 it was agreed that it would be useful to re-run the questionnaire survey of local authorities in Wales to see how far services had moved on since then. It was also agreed to undertake a consultation exercise with care leavers to ascertain their views of local authority leaving care services.