Placements for residential care should be funded by your Local Authority i.e. the Authority in which you live not where the placement is.  If that placement is outside your Local Authority (out-of-county funding) then it is likely you will have to put together a very stong case to secure that funding.

In some cases, parents have to go through a tough process to get this funding which may include proceeding down a legal route.  If your child is over 18 then they are entitled to Legal Aid – click here to read a previous post on ‘Legal Aid for Out of County Funding’.

If your child has health issues then a placement might be eligible for part funding through Continuing Healthcare.  In some Local Authorities, this is particularly important to consider if you are trying to secure out-of-county funding as the money comes out of a different budget from the Social Care pot therefore you are more likely to get a favourable decision.  It is important to check whether this is the case with your particular Local Authority as a small percentage combine Social Care and Continuing Healthcare budgets under one umbrella.

Despite budget cuts, funding for out-of-county placements is available if you can prove that the service and provider you are going for is the only one that is going to be able to meet your child’s needs now and in the future.

Read Transition Step 1: Starting the Process

Read Transition Step 2: Getting the Right Assessment

Read Transition Step 4: What Makes a Good Transition

Read Transition Step 5: What Happens Afterwards