1.9.1 Leaving Care

Contents

1. Introduction 
2. The Service
3. Referrals
4. Definitions 
5. Key Responsibilities  

1. Introduction

Arrangements for young people Leaving Care are the responsibility of the Placing Authority; therefore Managers and Staff should obtain copies of procedures from relevant authorities and assist Social Workers in implementing them. 

The Continuum Group offers support to young people leaving care through the Family Support Service.

2. The Service

The Family Support Service can work with young people moving onto independence to help them develop life skills, e.g. opening bank accounts, accessing benefits, form filling, job search and interview skills, budgeting, housekeeping and recreational activities etc.

Each young person receives a tailored package to meet their individual needs.

The package may include accommodation or may be to provide support in the service user's own home. 

Care Leavers Provision

The Continuum Group has several provisions across the country offering varied levels of independence and support.  From bedsits with shared living areas to self contained flats within a supported building to fully independent accommodation within the local community.  

Young Adult Provision

Some young people may never achieve the skills required to live fully independent lives for many reasons including learning difficulties and/or disabilities such as Autism, ADHD etc.  It also offers care and residential living to young adults with complex health needs.  The Continuum Group can offer these young people safe and supported living options across the country.

3. Referrals

The referral procedure will differ for young people being placed from external agencies and local authorities and those being referred from within The Continuum Group's Residential Service.

External Referrals

Following a request for services made by a local authority social worker or other representative, the Manager will forward a referral form for completion in respect of the service user, their needs and how these can be met.

Once the completed referral form is received the Manager will confirm whether or not the company can provide the services required.  If so, he/she will arrange to visit the service user in order to carry out a further assessment of their needs, conduct a risk assessment, for the purpose of ensuring the safety of both service user(s) and worker(s).

In consultation with the service user, the service users carer(s) and social worker, a care plan detailing the personal and other care needs will be drawn up.  The care plan and risk assessment will be reviewed and amended as necessary, and at least once every three months.

Internal Referrals

On identifying that a young person may benefit from the services offered by the Family Support Service, the Residential Manager should contact their local Family Support Manager to discuss the case and complete a referral form. 

The Family Support Manager will then work with the Residential Manager in conjunction with the placing social worker, to identify and plan the transition for the young person. He/she will arrange to visit the service user in order to carry out a further assessment of their needs, conduct a risk assessment, for the purpose of ensuring the safety of both service user(s) and worker(s).

In consultation with the service user, the service users carer(s) and social worker, a care plan detailing the personal and other care needs will be drawn up.  The care plan and risk assessment will be reviewed and amended as necessary, and at least once every three months.

4. Definitions

This chapter summarises the key terms and responsibilities in relation to Leaving Care.

Eligible Young People

They are aged 16 or 17, have been Looked After for a period or periods totalling at least 13 weeks starting after their 14th birthday and are still Looked After.  (This total does not include a series of short term placements of up to four weeks where the child has returned to the Parent.)  There is a duty to support these young people up to the age of 18. 

Relevant Young People

They are aged 16 or 17 and are no longer Looked After, having previously been in the category of Eligible Young Person when Looked After.  However, if after leaving the looked after service, a young person returns home for a period of 6 months or more to be cared for by a Parent, he or she will no longer be a “relevant young person”.  A young person is also “relevant” if, having been looked after for three months or more, he or she is then detained after their 16th birthday either in hospital, remand centre, young offenders’ institution or secure training centre.  There is a duty to support relevant young people up to the age of 18.

Former Relevant Young People

They are aged 18 to 21 (or up to 24 if in full-time further or higher education), and have left the Looked After service having been previously either “eligible”, “relevant” or both.  There is a duty to consider the need to support these young people.

Qualifying Young People

Qualifying Young People are young people over the age of 16 and under the age of 21, and have been Looked After or, if disabled, in Private Fostering after reaching 16 or are the subject of a Special Guardianship Order and were Looked After immediately before the Special Guardianship Order was made, but do not qualify as Eligible, Relevant or Former Relevant.  They may receive support, advice and assistance.

Personal Advisor

A Personal Adviser is the person appointed to work with every Looked After young person, usually at the first Looked After Review after the young person’s 15th birthday, and will occupy a key role in preparing the young person for independence and providing support after they cease to be looked after.  He or she will hold a pivotal role in the assessment, planning and review of services as set out in the Pathway Plan.

Pathway Plan

The Pathway Plan sets out the route to the future for young people leaving the Looked After service and will state how their needs will be met in their path to independence.  The plan will continue to be implemented and reviewed after they leave the looked after service at least until they are 21; and up to 24 if in education.

5. Key Responsibilities

Each local authority should have it’s own procedures for young people Leaving Care, which should be consulted in relation to relevant young person.  In the absence of such procedures, the following may be applied:

1. A Personal Adviser should be appointed for every Looked After young person before their 16th birthday.   The Personal Adviser’s appointment will continue while the young person remains an Eligible, Relevant or Former Relevant Young Person.
2. All eligible, relevant and former relevant young people must have received a multi-agency assessment of their needs and abilities to live independently.  This will be informed by the ongoing assessment, planning and review which takes place throughout the period they are Looked After. 
3. They must also have a Pathway Plan which will be drawn up having regard to the above assessment.  The Pathway Plan must be owned by the young person who must have a copy of the Plan for safe keeping. 
4. The Pathway Plan should complement the Care Plan and be regularly reviewed.
5. Where the young person continues to be Looked After, there should additionally be a Care Plan, which should describe what arrangements have been made within the home to support the Pathway Plan.  The Care Plan will continue to be the responsibility of the home where the young person is placed, and must outline the arrangements in place for supporting the Pathway Plan.
6. The Pathway Plan will continue in place for eligible, relevant and former relevant young people.

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