Young people can be either in the care of the local authority (through a court order) or provided with accommodation by the local authority (by agreement with parents/carers). The local authority must listen to your views before they make decisions for you. The local authority has a duty to meet the needs of 16 and 17 year olds who are in care or are care leavers, and they should keep in touch with care leavers until they are 21.
As a care leaver you should receive support to plan your move from being in care to independence. You will also get support to help you into education, training or employment.
Locally you can talk to the Leaving Care Support Team and After Care provision:
Leaving Care Team
31 Clarence Arcade
Stamford Street
Ashton under Lyne
OL6 7PT
0161 342 7630
Check out the Carelaw website for young people in care, it gives you lots of useful information.
The Who Cares? Trust has information for young people in care. Contact them on 020 7251 3117.
A National Voice is run for and by young people who have been in care.
You can also look at the Adoption/Fostering section of this website.
You can use the library in your Connexions Centre too as it has information for you to read or take away. You could also go to Relationships Weblinx for more useful websites.