At the time of its introduction in 2014, Staying Put was hailed as a groundbreaking policy that would improve stability for young people and help their transition from care to independent living. Introduced through the Children and Families Act 2014, it places a duty on councils to support looked-after children who want to remain with their foster carer until they are 21.
The Department for Education allocated £42.4m for councils to cover the cost of Staying Put for the first three years of operation - £7.4m in 2014/15, then £14m in 2015/16, and £21m in 2016/17.
In 2014/15, the first year of operation, 48.3 per cent (1,560) of young people eligible stayed with their foster carer after their 18th birthday. This rose to 54 per cent (2,190) in 2015/16.
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