Part 1: Children Chapter 1: Looked after children Section 3: Advice and support on request
This section extends existing duties which a local authority has under section 23CA of the Children Act 1989 towards former relevant children (as defined by section 23C of the Children Act 1989) aged between 21 to 25 years and who have informed the local authority that they are pursuing or wish to pursue a course of education or training.
	This section inserts a new section 23CZB into the Children Act 1989. which imposes a new set of duties on a local authority where a former relevant child requests advice and support, regardless of whether that young person intends to pursue a course of education and training. Subsection (3) of 23CZB provides that the first duty is for the local authority to appoint a personal adviser for the child if he or she requests help until such time as he or she reaches the age of 25 or informs the local authority that a personal adviser is no longer required.
	Subsection (4) of 23CZB requires the local authority to carry out an assessment of the young person’s needs and to prepare a pathway plan for them. Subsection (5) of 23CZB defines an assessment of needs under subsection (4) as an assessment to determinewhether any services offered by the authority may help to meet the young person’s needs, and what advice and support it would be appropriate for the responsible local authority to provide to help the young person obtain those services.
	Subsection (6) of 23CZB places a duty on the responsible local authority to provide the former relevant child with any advice and support that the assessment identified as appropriate.
	Subsection (7) of 23CZB provides that a local authority must offer to provide a former relevant child with advice and support if they are not already receiving it, as soon as possible after they reach the age of 21, and at least once every 12 months thereafter.
	Subsection (8) of 23CZB defines the term "former relevant child".
	Subsection (3) of section 3 revises wording within section 23CA of the Children Act 1989 (which provides for a personal adviser where a young person is pursuing education and training) so that it is consistent with the wording around provision of a personal adviser within this Act.
	Subsection (4) of section 3 addresses the scenario in which a young person is entitled to a personal adviser under another provision in the Children Act 1989 and/or new section 23CZB. The subsection confirms that a local authority may discharge concurrent duties by appointing a single personal adviser. In addition a duty to appoint or maintain the appointment of a personal adviser under one of the sections in the Children Act 1989, is not affected if the duty has ceased under another section of that Act.
	Subsections (5) to (10) of section 3 make necessary amendments to section 23E of the Children Act 1989 (which describe what pathway plans and assessments of needs involve) as a result of the new duties imposed by this section.