d or qualifying child, has suitable accommodation if they need it during a vacation. The local authority must be satisfied that the young person needs accommodation because their term-time accommodation is not available. This assistance may take the form of either providing the young person with suitable accommodation, or by paying them enough to secure suitable accommodation themselves. 7.85. These provisions apply to every vacation and are intended to ensure that the young person is not homeless during that time. An assessment of whether there is likely to be a need for this assistance should be undertaken when the young person is making a decision about which course to pursue, and when the pathway plan is being reviewed to establish an appropriate package of student support. The requirement to assist, if necessary, with vacation accommodation lasts for as long as the young person continues on the course which has been agreed as part of their pathway plan. 33 For this purpose, “higher education” means education provided by means of a course of a description referred to in regulations made under section 22 of the Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998; “further education” has the same meaning as in the Education Act 1996 save that for the purposes of this regulation it only includes further education which is provided on a full-time residential basis. 75 Chapter 8: Finance matters Introduction 8.1. Care leavers are particularly vulnerable to social exclusion because they will have to make their transition to adulthood much earlier than most other young people. Local authority financial policies should aim to mirror the types of support that families provide, to be flexible to the differing needs of care leavers and to be aware of the fact that they are often being requ