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<p>The Home Office has put in place a comprehensive vulnerability strategy to ensure
that the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) is accessible for all, including children in
care.</p><p>For England, Scotland and Wales local authorities (LAs) and for Northern
Ireland Health and Social Care Trusts (HSCTs) will have responsibility in ensuring
that applications are made on behalf of all looked after children for whom they have
full parental responsibility and who are EEA citizens or family members and to assist
with accessing services with status once granted.</p><p>If the child is cared for
under shared care provisions, it is LAs and HSCTs responsibility to ensure that the
child, and their carers, are aware of the need to make an application to the EUSS,
signposting them to practical support where needed.</p><p>To help local authorities
prepare for the launch of the EU Settlement Scheme, the Home Office made several recommendations.
Identifying the eligible cohort of children and care leavers was one of the recommendations,
along with identifying resource to manage this work stream.</p><p>The Children Act
1989 provides the legal framework for local authorities to promote a child’s welfare
and best interests, setting out statutory duties in relation to looked after children
in England, with respective authorities for the devolved administrations. Statutory
guidance is provided by DfE in relation to this. This statutory duty to promote best
interests, coupled with funding provided to local authorities under a new burdens
assessment should ensure that this important work will be done.</p><p>Additionally,
the Home Office has been holding monthly teleconferences for local authority staff
who are undertaking this work. A designated help-line number has also been made available
for local authority staff to contact trained caseworkers in the Home Office should
they need to discuss any aspect of the EU Settlement Scheme.</p><p> </p>
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