112—Minister to arrange assistance for eligible care leavers
(1) The Minister must
cause such assistance as the Minister thinks appropriate to be offered to each
eligible care leaver for the purposes of making their transition from care as
easy as is reasonably practicable.
(2) Without limiting
the kinds of assistance that may be offered to an eligible care leaver, such
assistance may include 1 or more of the following:
(a) the
provision of information about Government and other resources and services
available to the eligible care leaver;
(b) the
provision of education and training services;
(c)
assistance in finding accommodation;
(d)
assistance in finding employment;
(e)
assistance in accessing legal advice and health services;
(f)
counselling and support services.
(3) If an
eligible care leaver accepts an offer of assistance, the Minister must take
reasonable steps to provide such assistance, or cause such assistance to be
provided, to the eligible care leaver.
(4) To avoid doubt,
assistance may, at the discretion of the Minister, be provided for a specified
period or until a person ceases to be an eligible care leaver.
(5) However, an offer
of assistance under this section does not create legally enforceable rights or
entitlements.
(6) In this
section—
"eligible care leaver"—a person is an eligible care leaver if the
person—
(a) is
more than 16, but less than 26, years of age; and
(b) was,
at any stage, under the guardianship or custody of the Chief Executive or
another person pursuant to this Act or the Children's Protection
Act 1993 for a period of 6 months or more (or such lesser period as may
be allowed by the Minister).