NSW Ombudsman (2004). Group review of young people with disabilities leaving statutory care. Sydney: NSW Ombudsman.	Australia: This report is about the leaving care arrangements for a group of young people with disabilities who have left or will leave statutory care on turning 18 in 2004. It has been informed by reviewing the circumstances and/or leaving care plans of 27 young people. Departmental data indicated 198 young people (15 per cent) of the total group of 1,299 in care, had a disability. Of the 198, 62 would turn 18 in 2004. We determined to look at the circumstances of those young people who were identified by the department as having autism or a developmental or intellectual disability, who were under the parental responsibility of the Minister for Community Services, and who would turn 18 in 2004. We examined these young people’s leaving care plans and the minutes of their most recent case conferences prior to turning 18. Reviews of the leaving care arrangements for the other 22 were informed by: interviews with caseworkers, other service providers and, where relevant and appropriate, other people in the young people’s lives; review of young people’s departmental files and documents; and finally, where possible, an interview with the young person.	The majority of the young people presented with complex support needs associated with their disabilities requiring early transition planning and support through quality case management and strong advocacy to ensure the case plan was implemented. Leaving care plans need to be documented and routinely reviewed. Eligibility for DADHC services is no guarantee of seamless transfer from statutory care arrangements to supported accommodation funded or provided by DADHC. We found that this is particularly so for young people with disabilities in contact with the criminal justice system. The reviews highlighted the particular challenges presented to caseworkers by young people leaving statutory care who have a disability, but who are not eligible for DADHC funded or provided accommodation and/or casework services. Some of these young people have moved or will move to independent living arrangements in spite of concerns held by their caseworkers that they lack the capacity to live independently. Many of these young people will require ongoing assistance to access and use the services offered at the time they leave care. Some caseworkers addressed this situation by linking the young person to a disability support service or adolescent service at the time of discharge including drop- in support and mentoring to support a gradual transition to independence and some form of safety net for the young people. Our reviews identified that for many of these young people, DoCS’ support did not cease when the young people turned 18. DoCS has advised that after care agencies are not funded to provide longer term or intensive casework. Therefore, these services are not well placed to meet the needs of this group. The quality of leaving care planning, and the documentation of these plans, varied greatly for the 27 young people. Many examples of flexible, innovative leaving care plans that were effectively implemented by the department and other service providers facilitating: