>£19k pa, for two years, to all 18 year olds leaving care in Wales

[Danllan]

Yes, it's true the WAG has decided that all these people will receive £19200 for two years, no matter what; they can go and get a job, and they'll still get this. In the most recent large scale trial of this sort of thing, in Finland, there was no measurable increase in the numbers of people who received it getting jobs or qualifications, but receiving the money did make them 'happy'...

The WAG are going to give away more than three times as much per head, so presumably these people will - or ought to be - f^cking ecstatic at receiving so much of our cash.

Basic income: Wales pilot offers £1,600 a month to care leavers

One teenager who has foster parents says it could make care leavers "equal with everyone else".

www.bbc.co.uk

I can see a good argument for providing these people with help / loans / bursaries to pay for educational and vocational courses, since they don't have parents to help them out. But this much is over the top.

Let's hope it really works well, and they all spend this windfall on sensible, worthwhile things, let's hope... Don't hold your breath for any admissions of waste if it doesn't work out, and don't expect any of it to be clawed back from the arseheads throwing our money that way.

 

[Woolless]

It's a funny one isn't it? Some will put the money to great use and will give themselves a leg up in life. For others, it will go up in smoke and down their neck and they'll be back on universal credit when it's all over.

I must admit, if someone was to hand me that amount every month I would be sorely tempted to give up work and get by on farm income. I'm sure my happiness score and overall health would increase as a result

 

[Oldmacdonald]

Sounds like a good scheme.

Not universal basic income, but a targeted basic income.

 

[czechmate]

Yes, it's true the WAG has decided that all these people will receive £19200 for two years, no matter what; they can go and get a job, and they'll still get this. In the most recent large scale trial of this sort of thing, in Finland, there was no measurable increase in the numbers of people who received it getting jobs or qualifications, but receiving the money did make them 'happy'...

The WAG are going to give away more than three times as much per head, so presumably these people will - or ought to be - f^cking ecstatic at receiving so much of our cash.

Basic income: Wales pilot offers £1,600 a month to care leavers

One teenager who has foster parents says it could make care leavers "equal with everyone else".

www.bbc.co.uk

I can see a good argument for providing these people with help / loans / bursaries to pay for educational and vocational courses, since they don't have parents to help them out. But this much is over the top.

Let's hope it really works well, and they all spend this windfall on sensible, worthwhile things, let's hope... Don't hold your breath for any admissions of waste if it doesn't work out, and don't expect any of it to be clawed back from the arseheads throwing our money that way.

My brother doesn’t live far from you are rallying seems huge around him; so, plenty of scope

 

[fudge]

University students generate more national debt. If the people receiving it make good use it could be better value than, let’s say a degree in media studies. Perhaps animal husbandry combined with a foreign language could suit the Welsh livestock community and the government?

 

[Danllan]

My brother doesn’t live far from you are rallying seems huge around him; so, plenty of scope

Is that in code...?

 

[czechmate]

Is that in code...?

I highlighted this bit but it’s not in view

“Let's hope it really works well, and they all spend this windfall on sensible, worthwhile things,”

 

[oil barron]

Entire program costs less than what we will have to stump up to bail out Prince Andrew or the retiring farmers scheme.

As a tax payer if I had to chose between those three I would go with kids who have had a start to life that most of us couldn’t imagine.

There is also a fair chance that it will avoid some of them going to jail which makes it actually cash positive for the tax payer.

 

[Woolless]

Entire program costs less than what we will have to stump up to bail out Prince Andrew or the retiring farmers scheme.

As a tax payer if I had to chose between those three I would go with kids who have had a start to life that most of us couldn’t imagine.

There is also a fair chance that it will avoid some of them going to jail which makes it actually cash positive for the tax payer.

And hopefully better life choices will mean less pressure on the NHS.

 

[kiwi pom]

Seems like a good idea to me, hopefully some will benefit from it and give themselves a better future.
They'll be those that waste it but that's true for lots of things. Do you think every land owner who receives subsidies spends it on supplying cheap food?

 

[linga]

Entire program costs less than what we will have to stump up to bail out Prince Andrew or the retiring farmers scheme.

As a tax payer if I had to chose between those three I would go with kids who have had a start to life that most of us couldn’t imagine.

There is also a fair chance that it will avoid some of them going to jail which makes it actually cash positive for the tax payer.

I would think with all that cash in their pocket (and no support ) it might hasten their journey to jail

 

[oil barron]

I would think with all that cash in their pocket (and no support ) it might hasten their journey to jail

For most of us it’s really hard to understand how hard it is to get into the “system” if you are not part of it. A lot of kids get dumped out of care at 18. They are homeless so can’t get a bank account. They don’t have a bank account so can’t get a job and the spiral continues so the only option is to go steeling. Hopefully this will get them a little bit of stability to get themselves set up in life’s systems.

I would worry that young vulnerable girls with a know guaranteed income source will become targets for predatory males. Hopefully there is something in the social system that will ward them against that.

 

[capfits]

Have heard it said that those that have been in care can expect to have significantly poorer outcomes than the general population in everything from educational outcomes to earnings to life expectancy.
Ideally they could have all the stuff that the vast majority take for granted having picked up from a family environment with its passing on of soft skills, knowledge and the support network.
If a kid from care wishes to go to say University to say study law, you could imagine the barriers that are there for them aged 18 and punted out (unless you are a lawyer come farmer from Wales) with out resource to pay for halls etc.
Or the kid that starts an apprenticeship at the local agri dealer, with no resources to pay deposit, washing machine, cooker transport etc.
I say good on the Welsh government for helping these young people with very particular disadvantages that they have through no fault of their own get the start that they require in early adulthood to become good solid member of society in general.

 

[linga]

I have no problem with the idea that these poor souls have had and will have a difficult time and need support but giving cash directly is not going to have the desired result in all but a few cases.
I know this from experience with those in care and also the social care system as it is now

 

[SteveHants]

Better than giving millions of pounds to companies who fail to provide usable PPE in the middle of a pandemic, isn't it?

 

[little_p]

I can see a good argument for providing these people with help / loans / bursaries to pay for educational and vocational courses, since they don't have parents to help them out.

Part of the reasons why kids brought up in care go on to have lessor life chances is obviously not having parents who could fund their education, give them a guiding had etc, but one of the things is that they also didn't have a parent to give them a job!
When I left school the majority of the 'less academic' boys went to 'work for the 'ole man' i.e. on the family farm, mechanic, builder, other small family businesses. One significant less option to get skills, a trade, to be taught the life lessons that are gained from hard graft.

 

[Danllan]

As I wrote, I hope this works; but my own experience leads me to suspect that it won't in the vast majority of cases.

I highlighted this bit but it’s not in view

“Let's hope it really works well, and they all spend this windfall on sensible, worthwhile things,”

Didn't see that, sorry...

Sounds like a good scheme.

Not universal basic income, but a targeted basic income.

I'm for UBI, this is nowhere near it.

I have no problem with the idea that these poor souls have had and will have a difficult time and need support but giving cash directly is not going to have the desired result in all but a few cases.
I know this from experience with those in care and also the social care system as it is now

True in some cases; in others, many others, they are in care not because the families are bad, but because they are bad individuals, many of whom come close to or actually do ruin their family's lives until they are gone.

So many people turn a blind eye to this, and claim these people are in some way 'victims'; well, they are not, and they hell they can cause to families, communities and society at large is something that is hard to credit without experience of it.