Options Considered
15.Although most respondents to the consultation document clearly wished to see the legislation in place, a few argued that it should be deferred until such time as the equivalent legislation in England and Wales (the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000) had been in operation for some time. It was suggested that this would enable the Department to monitor the experiences of England and Wales so as to ensure that any future legislation here would have a positive impact on the outcomes for young people leaving care. The option to “wait and see” was considered and rejected in favour of moving ahead to promote the legislation at the earliest opportunity.