Local Offer for Care Leavers

This offer tells you about the support we have in Essex for you as a care leaver.

We care about you and want to ensure that you access the opportunities available in order to achieve the best outcomes you possibly can.

We want to make sure that you feel safe and supported during this time of moving on from care.

Some of the benefits included in the Essex local offer are:

• you won’t have to pay council tax up to the age of 21, if you're an Essex care leaver living in one of the 12 Essex council areas
• a bursary for those care leavers going to higher education, subject to application and requirements
• a discretionary one-off rent and deposit payment to help secure private rented accommodation
• discretionary assistance as a guarantor in privately rented accommodation.
• a Setting Up Home grant of up to £2000
• weekly drop-ins providing different types of support from the Employability Officer, Targeted Youth Adviser and Looked after Nurse
• support with your emotional wellbeing from the Mental Health Coordinators within the teams
• support in accessing your social care records
• support in preparing for a job interview, and financial assistance with interview clothes and travel to work or training, if needed
• we will ensure that you are considered in apprenticeship schemes within Essex County Council
• we can pay for up to 10 hours of driving lessons if you are in education, training or employment
• we will provide you with financial support while you wait for your first benefit claim to be processed