Leaving Care and Transition

Definitions

Normally the definitions relating to Keywords are found by accessing the Keywords Glossary, but a number of the terms used in this policy are specific to it; therefore they have also been summarised below:

1. Leaving Care Assessment of Need

All Young People - Eligible, Relevant or Former Relevant - must receive a multi-agency assessment of their needs as to the advice, assistance and support they will need when leaving care.

The young person's social worker will be responsible for coordinating the pathway needs assessment.

This assessment should be completed no more than 3 months after the young person's 16th birthday or after the young person becomes Eligible or Relevant if this is later. The Trust is ambitious for all our children in care and good practice would entail beginning the Pathway Needs Assessment at the age of 15 years 6 months. The timetable must take account of any forthcoming exams and avoid disrupting the young person's preparation for them.

The young person's Care Plan together with information from the most recent Assessment will form the basis of the pathway needs assessment.

The young person's social worker will be responsible for recording the assessment information and conclusions as well as the outcome of any meetings held. The young person must be invited to any meetings held in connection with the assessment.

The Needs Assessment should take account of the views of the following:

1. The young person;
2. The parents;
3. The current carer;
4. The school/college and the education service;
5. Any Independent Visitor;
6. Any person providing health care or treatment for the young person;
7. The Personal Adviser;
8. Any other relevant person including, in the case of a young person with special needs, a representative from Adult Services;
9. A Care Leaver's needs in relation to their status as a victim of trafficking or an unaccompanied asylum seeking child must be considered when the local authority is preparing an assessment of needs. Also, to require that, where a child is a victim of trafficking or an unaccompanied asylum seeking child, the local authority must consider whether their related needs are being met when reviewing the child's Pathway Plan (see amended Care Leavers (England) Regulations 2010).

A decision not to include significant people must be recorded in the young person's file.

Young people with particular language or communication needs should be provided throughout the process with appropriate interpretation, translation or advocacy support.

Where we are struggling to engage with a young person or where the young person refuses to engage in the assessment process, this should be recorded, together with any actions taken to ascertain the young person's views.

All parties, including the social worker's manager, should sign the completed pathway needs assessment Record. The young person should be provided with a copy in a format that is accessible to him or her within 2 weeks. The social worker is responsible for ensuring that the outcome of the assessment is explained to the young person.

The pathway needs assessment will inform the development of a Pathway Plan which will be based on and include the young person's Care Plan.

Where the young person continues to be a child in care, the Placement Plan should describe what arrangements have been made within the placement to support the Pathway Plan.

When carrying out an assessment of needs, the Trust must determine whether it would be appropriate to provide advice, assistance and support to facilitate a Staying Put arrangement. Where they determine that it would be appropriate, and where the young person and the Trust foster parent wish to make a Staying Put arrangement, then the Trust's must provide such advice, assistance and support to facilitate a Staying Put arrangement. For further information see the Staying Put Arrangement Policy.

The Assessment Need will be reflected upon with the social worker in supervision and the Team Manager will ensure this is completed in a timely manner.

See "are you ready" information.

Consideration of the need for life story work to support young people in their family and social – See Life Story Work information.

2. Pathway Planning

All young people will have a Pathway Plan in place within 3 months of becoming Eligible i.e. by 16 years and 3 months and this will be signed by the young person and their social worker

This will be confirmed by sign off by the Team Manager and considered at each CIC Review (Pathway review).

The Pathway Plan will be based on and include a young person's Care Plan and any Personal Education Plan will inform and complement the Pathway Plan.

In addition, consideration will need to be given to requirements of an Education, Health, Care Plan and ensure synergy between plans for the young person

Each young person will be central to drawing up their own Pathway Plan setting the goals and identifying how the Trust will help to meet them, including any services being provided in respect of the young person's disability or needs arising from being in custody or as a result of entering the country as an unaccompanied asylum seeker. It should be written in a way that meets the needs of the young person, capturing their aspirations and key messages. Young people with language or communication needs should be provided throughout the process with appropriate interpretation, translation or advocacy support. This will be evidenced by the young person’s participation and agreement with their pathway plan.

The Pathway Plan must clearly identify the roles of each person who has a part to play in supporting the care leaver.

• The plan for the young person's continuing education or training when he/she ceases to be looked after - where the young person is no longer of statutory school age, the Pathway Plan may need to incorporate the goals and actions that were previously included in the Personal Education Plan (PEP);
• How the Trust will assist the young person in obtaining employment or other purposeful activity or occupation, taking into account his/her aspirations, skills and educational potential to improve their chance of employability;
• The financial support to be provided to enable the young person to meet accommodation and maintenance costs; taking into account his/her financial capabilities and money-management capacity, along with strategies to develop skills in this area;
• The nature and level of contact and personal support to be provided, and by whom, to the young person;
• Details of the accommodation the young person is to occupy (including an assessment of its suitability in the light of the young person's needs, and details of the considerations taken into account in assessing that suitability);
• Details of the arrangements made by the Trust to meet the young person's needs in relation to their identity, with particular regard to their religious persuasion, racial origin and cultural and linguistic background.

The Pathway Plan must address in particular:

• The young person's health and development building on the information included in the young person's Health Care Plan;
• Education, training and employment. The Personal Education Plan (PEP) should continue to be maintained while the young person continues to receive full or part-time education. Information within the PEP will feed directly into the Pathway Plan. Pathway Plans must have an explicit focus on career planning, taking into account the young person's aspirations, skills, and educational potential;
• Continuing relationships, including family time, with the young person's parents, wider family including siblings and friends and the capacity of this network to encourage the young person and enable them to make a positive transition to adulthood: this can be supported through life links;
• The young person's financial capabilities and money management capacity, along with strategies to develop the young person's skills in this area;
• Where relevant, immigration status should be included as a separate section on Pathway Plans. This will help to ensure that young people who have been granted Pre Settled Status under the EU Settlement Scheme apply to convert this to Settled Status at the appropriate time. Each young person's personal deadline for converting Pre-Settled into Settled Status is unique to them and contained in a digital format – it is important therefore that this is recorded and monitored by the local authority. Plans should contain clear information about what action needs to be taken by whom and when.

The Pathway Plan must identify contingency arrangements that will come into effect to support the young person if, for whatever reason, the planned arrangements are not realised.

The Trust should have a flexible approach to supporting young people; it should be keep in mind that it has a duty to accept young people aged 16 and 17 years back in to care if a young person's decision to move into semi-independent accommodation, leave care or decline leaving care services is then identified as not having been the appropriate plan for the young person.

The Pathway Plan should include details of the young person's financial needs as well as an account of any resources provided to meet their needs.

Where a transfer from Children's to Adult Services will be required, the Plan should specify who has responsibility for giving notice to Adult Services and liaising with them to ensure a smooth transition. This transition should be considered as early as possible and by the time the young person is 16.5 years.

The Team Manager (Children in Care, for 16 and 17 year olds and Leaving Care for over 18s) should approve and sign the Pathway Plan after it has been signed by the young person and allocated worker (social worker 16/17 yrs and Personal Advisor 18+).

On completion and approval of the Pathway Plan, all parties involved including the young person should sign it.

In the exceptional circumstance that the young person is not willing to sign the Pathway Plan, as a result of us struggling to engage with them to establish it, the Team Manager will sign off only after being sure of clear evidence that all attempts to engage with the young person has been made and ensuring that the rationale is confirmed in writing.

For a 16 and 17 year old in the circumstances outlined above this will be recorded in any Review Record and the reviewing officer must be satisfied that all reasonable attempts have been made to engage with the young person. At this point the IRO will consider what steps they need to take to support engagement or progression of the Pathway Plan.

Application for care leaver resources should be approved by the Team Manager and forwarded to the Finance Section who will process the necessary weekly payments.

The young person should always be provided with a copy of the most up to date Pathway Plan and the contents must be explained. This will be overseen by the Team Manager in supervision.

The young person will have a say about with whom the Pathway Plan will be shared when they leave care. If information is to be shared with a person or agency that the young person has not consented to, they must be informed of this, with the reasons, and be given the opportunity to challenge this decision and to be present when the information is shared.

Those who have a role in implementing the plan should have a copy of the Pathway Plan, at least, of the part relating to their contribution.

3. Reviews of Pathway Plans

The Pathway Plan must be reviewed at least every 6 months for all care leavers.

Reviews should take place more often if requested by the young person or the Social Worker / Personal Adviser or where there has been a significant change in the young person's circumstances. For 16 and 17 year olds who continue to be Children in Care this will be agreed with, and at the request of the IRO.

The purpose of the review is to check that the goals and milestones are still right and that they are being met. All levels of support should be reviewed to ensure that they are meeting young person’s needs and is being delivered according to plan.

For an Eligible Young Person, the date for the first review of the Pathway Plan will be included within the young person's Child in Care Review after the Pathway Plan has been drawn up.

For a Relevant Young Person, the date for the first Pathway Plan review will, if possible, be set at the last Child in Care Review before the young person ceases to be looked after as a young person in care.

For a Former Relevant Young Person, the date for the first review of their Pathway Plan will take place within 6 months of the young person's 18th birthday.

Whilst the young person is Eligible until they are 18 years old their Independent Reviewing Officer will chair the Pathway Plan reviews as part of the young person CIC review and if the young person wishes their support to chair the meeting

The review immediately prior to the young person's 18th birthday will agree how future reviews will be conducted, including whether they will involve face to face meetings, and this will be recorded by the IRO. In all cases, even when no formal review meetings are held, the Team Manager of the Leaving Care Service will retain a monitoring role, at 6 monthly intervals, to check the progress of the Pathway Plan.

Other participants at reviews should include the young person, Personal Adviser, the allocated worker (if the case is still allocated) and any other significant person.

The young person's expenses (travelling and subsistence) in attending the review will be met by the Trust.

If the Relevant Young Person or Former Relevant Young Person moves to supported accommodation, the Trust must:

• Ensure that this is agreed within the young person’s Pathway Plan;
• Arrange a review 28 days (or as soon as practicable thereafter) from the time the accommodation is provided if unplanned; and
• Determine at what intervals (not exceeding 3 months) subsequent reviews will be carried out;

Reviews should be brought forward where there is an assessed risk that a crisis may develop in a young person's life, for example

• Where a young person has been charged with an offence and there is a possibility of them being sentenced to custody, which will risk losing their accommodation;
• Where a young person is at risk of being evicted from their accommodation or otherwise threatened with homelessness;
• Where professionals are concerned about the parenting capacity of a 'Relevant' or 'Former Relevant' young person with there being a possibility that their own child may need to be the subject of a multi-agency safeguarding plan;
• Where a young person requests a review.

The circumstances should be reviewed and a plan developed in a care planning meeting prior to the review meeting where possible. Matters to which the Trust is to have regard in determining suitability of accommodation (under Schedule 2 to the Care Leavers Regulations 2010 and Schedule 6 of the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review Regulations 2010):

In respect of the accommodation:

• The facilities and services provided;
• The state of repair;
• The safety;
• The location;
• The support;
• The tenancy status; and
• The financial commitments involved for the relevant young person and their affordability.

In respect of the Relevant young person:

• Their views about the accommodation;
• Their understanding of their rights and responsibilities in relation to the accommodation; and
• Their understanding of funding arrangements.

See also: Placements in Other Arrangements Policy.

It is good practice for a review to be held within 28 days of any change in the Care Leaver's accommodation.

Where a Relevant or Former Relevant Young Person enters custody, Pathway Planning must continue. The young person must be visited on a regular basis and it is good practice for the first visit to take place within ten working days. The role must not be fulfilled by a YOT worker. The Trust must liaise with the YOS or National Probation Service to support the young person emotionally, practically and financially while in custody. A review of the Pathway Plan should be carried out at least a month before the young person's release to give sufficient time to plan for their resettlement, including identifying suitable accommodation where the young person's placement had to be given up or has been lost and identifying who will collect the young person and the sources of support after his or her release.

Where a Relevant or Former Relevant Young Person decide that they do not want to be in communication with the Trust and they will not be taking up the offer of support or advice, instead breaking off contact and/or engagement with the agreed support and advice being offered, a review of the Pathway Plan may take place by telephone, e-mail or letter, if agreed in advance by the IRO or chairperson and the Personal Adviser. In these circumstances the Personal Adviser will attempt to negotiate a revised plan that is acceptable to all parties.

Where contact is lost, the emphasis of the Pathway Plan Review will switch to record how attempts will be made to re-establish contact and these efforts will be reviewed within the established system.

A route back for the young person to seek support in the future should be kept open and communicated, for example by sending birthday cards and appropriate festive greetings, and ensuring that the young person receives any circulated information about services or events in which they may have an interest.

4. Personal Advisers

Care leavers should have enough time to develop a trusting relationship with their Personal Adviser before they leave care. Personal Advisers should know young people well and be well-informed about young people's plans for the future, their progress and their well-being.

Personal advisers should help young people to access services that meet their needs. The Personal Adviser acts as the young person's principal source of contact in any matter relating to the Pathway Plan and is accountable for the effective implementation of the Plan.

The Personal Adviser will ensure the co-ordination of other agencies and individuals identified in the Pathway Plan and 'act as a focal point' to make sure the young person has access to the appropriate services, including those provisions to enable them to develop some financial management capability.

It is the role of the Personal Adviser to keep in touch with the young person, and to remain informed as to the young person's progress. The Personal Adviser must maintain a written record of their contacts with the young person, monitoring the effectiveness of services in preparing the young person for a time when they will move to greater independence or when they cease to be looked after. When a care leaver moves to new accommodation, the Personal Adviser must see them at that accommodation within 7 days of the move.

On each visit, the Personal Adviser must consider whether the accommodation continues to be suitable for the young person.

The Personal Adviser will take responsibility for initiating the review of the Pathway Plan and for recording its outcomes.

The Personal Adviser is seen as a 'function' rather than a specific person and the Trust should consider delegating it wholly or partially to the best person able to carry out the role out. (See Part 3, Regulation 8 of The Care Leavers (England) Regulations 2010).

The Personal Adviser should be someone who is best able engage with the young person and motivate them to take up, and best make use of, the services that are available and provided.

It would be good practice where possible and appropriate for the Personal Adviser to maintain the same person from 18 years. However, this will not always be possible, the Personal Adviser should have the necessary skills and experience to carry out the function. The transfer of the role should be undertaken in a planned and managed way.

The introduction of a Personal Adviser will be discussed at a young person’s statutory review meetings from the time they are 16. For some young people, based on their views and needs, it will be right that a Personal Adviser starts to work alongside their Social Worker from their 16th birthday. For other young people this may not be right, and they may not want the Personal Adviser supporting them until later. If the statutory review meeting decides that a Personal Adviser should be introduced, then one will be allocated. However, a Personal Adviser will always be allocated to work alongside the young person’s social worker by the time they are 17 ½, and will take over from the Social Worker when they leave care at the age of 18.

5. Education, Training and Employment

5.1 Planning for Education, Training and Careers

The local authority should support care leavers to be ambitious and aspirational about their education and employment choices. Young people should know what assistance is available to help them find education and employment, and they should receive good careers advice that helps them to make decisions about their future. Young people should be encouraged and supported to continue their education and training, or to return to education and training at a time that is right for them.

Care leavers should make progress in employment, education or training that they enjoy, which meets their needs and interests and helps them achieve their potential.

The local authority should work closely with partners, education providers, the virtual school and local businesses to secure a range of employment, education and training opportunities for care leavers, including work experience, apprenticeships and further and higher education.

Care leavers must be provided with access to high quality information, advice and guidance to inform their plans in order to progress into continuing education, training or employment. How this will be met should be included in the Pathway Plan. They should be offered work experience and other opportunities to allow them to test their career aspirations and needs. Career planning tools should be used to inform Pathway Plans.

The Trust should make every effort not to disrupt a young person's education during their key stage 4 years, both in terms of their school and care placement unless the circumstances clearly require this. (See also Education of Looked After and Previously Looked After Children Policy, Avoidance of Disruption in Education).

Living arrangements for young people considering attending university, from their 18th birthday to the point they commence higher education courses, must be addressed and agreed well in advance of their 18th birthday. Plans need to be made for the vacation breaks. The Trust should not move a young person participating in a course of education during the academic year after their 18th birthday.

5.2 Care Leavers Continuing in Education

Where young people are continuing with an education or training course beyond their 21st birthday, the practical and financial support being provided must continue to be set out in their Pathway Plan.

5.3 The 16-19 Bursary Fund and Higher Education Bursary

The 16-19 Bursary Fund helps 16-19 year olds continue in further education, where they may face financial barriers to participation such as with the cost of transport, food or equipment. Young people in the defined group include those in care and Care Leavers. See the Education and Skills Funding Agency: 16 to 19 education: financial support for students.

The Higher Education Bursary is for Care Leavers in higher education.

6. Young People Resuming Education or Training After 21

Young people previously eligible for leaving care services and resuming programmes of education or training after the age of 21 are entitled to continuing support from a Personal Adviser. The start of the resumed programme should be before the young person's 25th birthday.

The definition of a programme of education or training must be interpreted broadly. For example, this might include options such as: completion of a basic skills course, so that the young person has the numeracy and literacy skills needed to compete in the jobs market; take up of a course of further education; take up of a university place; support to enable the young person to complete a recognised postgraduate qualification; or participation in vocational training and apprenticeships.

Where a care leaver requests this support, an assessment should be made to assess the appropriateness of the education or training course and how it will help them to achieve their ambitions. The leaving care team should meet with the young person and, based on the assessment of their needs and the suitability of the course, assign a Personal Adviser to participate in the preparation of a Pathway Plan. The plan should reflect the agreed educational outcomes for the young person and the type of support the young person will require. This assessment should draw on the information about the young person's skills and capabilities which will have been set out in Pathway Plans up to age 21. The extent of practical and financial assistance provided will depend on the assessment of the young person's needs and will reflect the type of course, whether it is full or part time and the young person's existing income.

All Care Leavers (including those who live out of authority) should be made aware of their entitlement to a Personal Adviser up to age 25 if they wish to return to education and training, including the provision of information (e.g. a letter or leaflet) on how to get in touch in the future. It should be explained to them that they will be supported to overcome difficulties so that they can return to education or training up to age 25 if this is their wish. In particular, all young people who are not in education, employment, or training (NEET) should be encouraged to take up this offer of support.

This entitlement to resume the pathway planning process and a support relationship with a Personal Adviser starts from the time the young person informs the local authority of their intention to resume their education or training to the completion of the course. This may include the need for continuing assistance where young people seek support to complete a series of education/training opportunities. Young people do not need to have decided what education or training they would like to pursue. In such cases, the Personal Adviser should help the young person identify the options best suited to them.

Care leavers will need support and guidance to help them think about and plan their return to education or training, consider all aspects such as financial support and impact on housing or benefits. The re-instated Pathway Plan must have a specific focus on the support that the care leaver will need to be able to meet the education or training goals agreed.

7. Qualifying Young People

Services for Qualifying Young People will be determined by an assessment of need carried out by the Leaving Care Team or via a Pathway needs assessment completed by Area teams.

The support offered, which could be financial, will focus upon helping the young person to manage and cope in the community and to manage the transition to adulthood. Attempts will be made to ensure that they are able to access suitable accommodation and maintain social and family links.

Where necessary, in addition to support, practical help should be offered to the young person. This could include helping to acquire basic living skills and consideration of health needs and choices. Where necessary, links will be made with other services and assistance can be provided when he or she has to have contact with other agencies. Advice and support should also be offered in relation to employment, training and educational opportunities.

The Trust has also set out what assistance can be provided to young people who are 'Qualifying' as a result of being looked after immediately prior to becoming subject to a Special Guardianship Order or subject to a private fostering arrangement. The Trust will need to be clear about which local authority is responsible for the provision of services to qualifying young people.

See Applications for Special Guardianship Orders.

Where a Qualifying Young Person accesses education, or training, financial assistance, this will be possible to the age of 24. This will ensure that he or she is able to take advantage of the opportunities being offered.

The young person's social worker should also help to identify, secure and pay for vacation accommodation, for those qualifying young people who have accessed higher education, or residential further education courses.

Approval for the provision of such financial support must be sought by the young person's social worker by completing the relevant form on Eclipse for the Team Manager (Leaving Care).

8. Where Care Leavers Live or Move to a Different Local Authority Area

Where a Care Leaver resides in a different local authority area, outside of Birmingham Children’s Trust area, the Trust must seek to ensure that a service is provided that is commensurate with the service which they would receive if they had remained resident in Birmingham. Care leavers who live away from their 'home' local authority should have access to education and health services that meet their needs as soon as they move outside of their 'home' area.

Whenever possible, plans for the movement of care leavers to a different local authority area must be discussed and the level of service provision agreed with the host authority concerned prior to the move taking place.

All care leavers should be advised on how to access care leavers' services if they move to a different local authority area and need assistance. The advice provided should be in writing.

With young people moving to other authorities, a discussion and joint meeting between the respective Leaving Care Teams must be arranged.

Arrangements for young people to stay connected to their 'home' local authority should address any relevant safeguarding risks.

9. Staying Put

A Staying Put arrangement is where a young person who has been living in foster care remains in the former foster home after the age of 18. Staying Put would usually end on the 21st birthday, unless they are attending a programme of further and higher education.

For a young person living in foster care, the first Looked After Review following their 16th birthday should consider whether a Staying Put arrangement should be an option.

10. Access to Records

Care leavers should be aware that they are entitled to see their records, be able to access their case records quickly and easily and be supported to do this. Their records should be clear and provide a comprehensive record of important life events. The local authority should help young people to understand their histories and experiences, including why they were in care, and to have a clear sense of who they are.

For information on access to records by care leavers, see Access to Records Policy, Applications by Care Leavers. Please see Access to Case Records Policy and Access to Birth Records and Adoption Case Records Policy.

Appendix 1: Needs Assessment and Content of Pathway Plans for Relevant and Former Relevant Children

Click here to view Appendix 1: Needs Assessment and Content of Pathway Plans for Relevant and Former Relevant Children.

Further Information

Legislation, Statutory Guidance and Government Non-Statutory Guidance

Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations - Volume 3: Planning Transition to Adulthood for Care Leavers

Care Leavers' Charter

Extending Personal Adviser Support to All Care Leavers to Age 25: Statutory Guidance for Local Authorities

Applying Corporate Parenting Principles to Looked-after Children and Care Leavers - Statutory Guidance for Local Authorities

Joint Housing Protocols for Care Leavers: Good Practice Advice (DfE and MHCLG)

Local Offer Guidance: Guidance for Local Authorities