Under 18-year-olds long-term care (FOI)

Request

Concerning children under the age of 18 I would like to know: 

A

How many under 18-year-olds are currently being treated in long-term care facilities off island?

B

At what age will their current care provisioning off island end?

C

What provisions have been made for these children on their return to the island after their off island care finishes in terms of accommodation and care needs? 

D

How many facilities on island are there that can provide permanent accommodation for returning islands after their care ceases abroad (UK included)? 

E

Is there enough provision to ensure that returning islanders can be provided with the 24/7 care that they currently get when in an off-island facility?

Response

A

There are fewer than five children in long-term residential homes off island under the age of 18 years old. To provide this information would likely breach the privacy of individuals and therefore, Article 25 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) 2011 Law has been applied.

B

Children cease to be considered as looked after (in terms of the legislation) on their 18th birthday and considered as adults and as such any access to children’s regulated provision comes to an end.

C

As young people who are looked after approach adulthood they are allocated a personal advisor and are involved in developing a pathway plan. They can explore their options for moving into adulthood.  The plan focuses on support required and available, aspirations which may include a referral to supported accommodation in Jersey or they may receive guidance and assistance through their personal advisor in collaboration with Housing and Income Support with securing rental accommodation if appropriate. 

D

Children leaving care have a range of options that will be explored in individual pathway plans.  There are currently two supported living homes in Jersey for care leavers, who together, are able to provide accommodation for up to 12 young people between the ages of 18 and 21.  This accommodation is not suitable for young people with significant physical disabilities. Some young people are supported to move into their own accommodation in the social housing or private sector.  Others return to live with their families.  For those young people with long term conditions or disability will require long term support from the Health and Community Services Department and may live in provided accommodation or have packages of care in their own ’home for life’.  

E

As adults over the age of 18 the vast majority of care leavers do not require ongoing long-term care. Those who do will be assessed and supported by the Health and Community Services Department colleagues depending on their needs and in line with the long term care legislation.

Article applied

Article 25 - Personal information

(1) Information is absolutely exempt information if it constitutes personal data of which the applicant is the data subject as defined in the Data Protection (Jersey) Law 2005.

(2) Information is absolutely exempt information if –

(a) it constitutes personal data of which the applicant is not the data subject as defined in the Data Protection (Jersey) Law 2005; and

(b) its supply to a member of the public would contravene any of the data protection principles, as defined in that Law.

3)      In determining for the purposes of this Article whether the lawfulness principle in Article 8(1)(a) of the Data Protection (Jersey) Law 2018 would be contravened by the disclosure of information, paragraph 5(1) of Schedule 2 to that Law (legitimate interests) is to be read as if sub-paragraph (b) (which disapplies the provision where the controller is a public authority) were omitted.