Leaving Care

Leaving care eligibility

If you have been in care for 13 weeks without a break and are in care on or after your 16th birthday, you have the right to have access to our services.

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How we can help you

We can help you with

financial support
a safe and nurturing place to live
a professional team of social workers, personal advisers and specialists who are available to offer advice, guidance and support
a leaving care handbook which offers information about accommodation, the law, education, training and employment, asylum, money and benefits, a multi-faith guide and a sex education CD-Rom.
recipe book – 'cooking it up' for guidance in learning to cook
a tenancy and resettlement handbook – to provide guidance to those moving on to independence
a quarterly newsletter
occasional activities and social events.

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The leaving care team

Our team consists of social workers from children's services. Social workers assess and address a number of your daily needs including

housing needs
education
social issues
health
independence skills.

The young person will usually have a social worker until the age of 18 when a personal advisor or housing support worker will become the “keyworker”.

Personal advisers

You will have access to your own personal adviser who will

help you realise what you can achieve
support you in education, training and employment
build on your strengths and tackle weaknesses
address any personal problems
explore alternative ways of developing talents, for example, volunteering, community projects, the arts or sport.

Specialists

There are a number of staff within the leaving care team who are specialists in particular areas. These include

an education, training and employment worker
aftercare co-ordinators (who support you in housing)
a participation officer (who works to encourage young people to be involved in the running of the service and the Council).
administrators
a mental health worker
a substance misuse worker who can offer advice about drugs and alcohol
a mentoring and employment worker who operates a mentoring scheme.

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Housing

You will be offered accommodation. Depending on your age and circumstances, the options are

supported lodging live as a member of a household with the choice of being part of the family
semi-independence shared housing with other young people and/or an independent studio flat with key worker support.
training flat independent accommodation with outreach tenancy support
permanent secure accommodation owned by the Council for people aged 18 and over.

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Education, training and employment

The education, training and employment officer is available to offer guidance. You have the right to

expert advice, information and guidance from your local careers adviser
carry on learning, whatever route you choose after school
the opportunity to train in order to gain a qualification to NVQ level
advice on how to apply for a modern apprenticeship or the new deal scheme, both of which provide work-based training
“steps to employability” – work placements throughout the Council for four to eight weeks
support (including financial support) if you decide to go to University.

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Reasons for having a leaving care team

Some children and young people are not able to live at home with their parents. Instead, they are looked after by the local authority, perhaps in residential care or by foster carers. From the age of 16, young people start to prepare for the next phase of their lives - leading to independence. In 2000, the Government passed a new law, The Leaving Care Act, to make sure that all looked after children and young people received proper training and skills to support them through this transition.

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