The Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (Wales) Regulations 2015

Assessment of needs

49.—(1) The responsible authority must complete the assessment of C’s needs in accordance with section 107(1) of the 2014 Act not more than 3 months after the date on which C reaches the age of 16 or becomes a category 1 young person after that age.

(2) In carrying out its assessment of C’s likely needs when C ceases to be looked after, the responsible authority must take account of the following considerations—

(a) C’s state of health (including physical, emotional and mental health) and development;

(b) C’s continuing need for education, training or employment;

(c) where C falls within regulation 5(1)(f), any needs C has as a result of that status;

(d) the support that will be available to C from C’s parents and other connected persons;

(e) where C is a category 1 young person who has been placed with a local authority foster parent—

(i) whether C and F have decided that they wish to make a post-18 living arrangement(1), or

(ii) what information the responsible authority must provide C and F to assist them in making such a decision;

(f) C’s actual and anticipated financial resources and capacity to manage personal finances independently;

(g) the extent to which C possesses the practical and other skills necessary for independent living;

(h) C’s need for continuing care, support and accommodation;

(i) the views, wishes and feelings of—

(i) C,

(ii) any parent of C’s and any person who is not C’s parent but who has parental responsibility for C,

(iii) the appropriate person;

(j) the views of—

(i) any person or educational institution that provides C with education or training, and if C has a statement of special educational needs, the responsible authority that maintains the statement,

(ii) the IRO,

(iii) any person providing health (whether physical, mental or emotional health) or dental care or treatment to C,

(iv) the personal adviser appointed for C, and

(v) any other person whose views the responsible authority or C consider may be relevant.

(1)

“Post-18 living arrangement” is defined in section 108(3) of the 2014 Act. The responsible authority has a duty to ascertain if any C, who is a category 1 young person who has been placed with F wishes to make a post-18 living arrangement upon ceasing to be looked after (see section 108(2) of the 2014 Act) and to facilitate such an arrangement where it considers to do so would be consistent with C’s well-being (see section 108(4) and (5) of that Act).