Section 179: Advise and assistance for certain children, etc.

(1) Where a child is being looked after by a State Government, the State Government shall advise, assist and befriend the child with a view to promoting his welfare when he ceases to be looked after by it.
(2) A person qualifies for advice and assistance under this section, if he is under the age of twenty-one years and was, at any time after attaining the age of eighteen years, but while still a child he was-
(a) looked after by a state Government; or
(b) accommodated by or on behalf of a voluntary organisation; or
(c) accommodated in a registered children home; or
(d) -accommodated -
(i) by any health authority or education authority; or
(ii) in any residential care home, nursing home or mental nursing home, for a consecutive period of at least three months; or
(e) fostered privately, but has ceased to be so looked after, accommodated or fostered.
(3) Subsection (2) (d) of this section applies if the period of three months mentioned in that subsection began before the child attained the age of eighteen years.
(4) Where-
(a) a State Government knows that there is, within the State a person qualifying for advice and assistance;
(b) conditions in subsection (5) of this section are satisfied; and
(c) a person has asked for help of a kind which a State Government can give under this section,
the State Government shall, if the person was being looked after by a State Government or was accommodated by or on behalf of a voluntary organization and may, in any other case, advise and befriend the child.
(5) The conditions which shall be satisfied under subsection (4) of this section are that -
(a) it appears to the State Government that the person concerned is in need of advice and being befriended;
(b) where the person was not being looked after by the State Government, it is satisfied that the person looking after him does not have the necessary facilities to advise or befriend him.
(6) Where, as a result of this section, a State Government is under a duty, or is empowered, to advise and befriend a person, it may also give that person assistance.
(7) Assistance given under subsections (1) and (6) of this section maybe in kind or, in exceptional circumstances, in cash.
(8) A State Government may give assistance to a person who qualifies for advise and assistance by virtue of subsection (2) (a) of this section by-
(a) contributing to expenses incurred by him in living near the place where he is, or will be -
(i) employed or seeking employment; or,
(ii) receiving education or training;
(b) making a grant to enable him to meet expenses connected with his education or training.
(9) Where a State Government is assisting a person under subsection (8) of this section by making a contribution or grant with respect to a course of education or training, it may -
(a) continue to do so notwithstanding that the person attained the age of twenty one ears before completing the course; and
(b) disregard any interruption in this attendance on the course on the course of training if he resumes it as soon as is reasonably practicable.
(10) Subsection (7) and (9) of section 178 of this Act shall apply in relation to assistance given under this section, as they apply in relation to assistance given under that section.
(11) Where it appears to a State Government that a person it had been advising and befriending under this section, is a person who qualifies for advice and assistance proposes to live, or is living, in another State, it shall inform that other State Government.
(12) Where a child who is accommodated by-
(a) a voluntary organisation or in a registered children home; or
(b) any health authority or education authority; or
(c) any residential care home, nursing home or mental nursing home,
ceases to be so accommodated, after attaining the age of eighteen years, the organisation, authority or, as the case may be, person managing the home shall inform the State Government in whose State the child proposes to live.
(13) Subsection (12) of this section only applies, by virtue of paragraph (b) or (c) of that subsection, if the accommodation has been provided for a consecutive period of at least three months.