Leaving and aftercare guide
What it s about No one said it was easy being a young person, let alone a young person in care! We want to help you achieve the best you possibly can. This guide has been put together with the help of local young people in care. It explains the role of your Social Worker and Personal advisor (referred to in this document as worker), where the Leaving & After Care Team fits in, plus tenancy and housing issues and includes health as well as education, training and employment. It tells you where you can get help and further information and gives you clear and sensible ideas on what to do if you feel you need that extra bit of help and how to get the best out of the services we offer you. You will have an allocated Leaving & After Care Social Worker and/or Personal Advisor, and will be starting the process of transition into the Leaving & After Care Service. Once you have discussed your ideas and wishes with your Worker, together you will draw up a plan (called a Pathway Plan) to cover different parts of your life such as where you live, your education, training and employment, your health, money and your personal support needs. This plan aims to cover the next five years or even longer if you are in full-time education, but will be reviewed every 6 months. The guide also contains useful websites, agency advice and information about various key issues with extra contacts and web links, which you can find at the back of this guide. There are four teams working to support you across Essex based in Harlow (West), Basildon (South), Colchester (North) and Chelmsford (Mid). You can contact us on: West 0333 013 9932 / 0333 013 9939 South 0333 013 8935 North 0333 013 9980 Mid 0333 013 8941 So take a browse and read the sections which are of interest to you.
Contents Accommodation What is suitable Accommodation? 5 Having your own place 6 Maintaining your home 7 Education, employment and training Getting started 9 College & University 10 Job seeking & study 11 Your Finances Benefits & LAC entitlements 13 Budgeting & preparation 14 Your Health Healthy lifestyles 16 Substance misuse 17 Stress and pressure 18 Sexual health & STIs 19 Personal Development & Support Advocacy & your rights 21 Get involved 22 21 plus 23 Useful contacts 24 Mythbusters 26 Key Terms 28 The Legal Stuff 31 The Essex Care Leavers Charter 32 Utilities 33 ETE Opportunities for Young People 34 Leaving and aftercare guide 3
4 Leaving and aftercare guide Accommodation
Accommodation What is suitable Accommodation? The way Leaving & After Care work with you is very much as a partner, but perhaps some of what you want, might not be possible or even suitable. You will have rights to be given suitable accommodation to live in whether you stay in care or leave before turning 18. What is suitable accommodation? Accommodation or somewhere that is right for you, and safe. You should talk to your Worker about where you want to live, and what is in your Pathway Plan. Many young people feel that they must be given their own flat by law, but this is not the case, and having the responsibility of a flat might not be right for you now. Leaving & After Care work with local councils to plan for care leavers, usually at 18, moving to accommodation that they can manage, and this can be a flat or bed-sit. Some options now: Foster care If fostered you don t have to leave at 16 or 17, especially if you can learn the skills you need, helped by your carer. You may be able to stay on after 18 years of age (Staying Put Arrangement). Supported lodgings This is where you live in someone else s home, but unlike fostering, the Provider gives you a place to live, and support but does not offer the in depth care a carer would. Thinking about budgeting and finding out how much things cost really helped me manage the money I had to spend. Residential care You might stay on at 16, but the important issue is that you learn how to look after yourself. Staying Put This is where agreement is given for young people to continue to stay with their current Foster Carers post 18 years of age. Supported Accommodation You can access Semi-Independent Accommodation if you are aged 16-18 through the ART16+ Team. The Gateway Team will assist in accessing supported accommodation, based on assessed need when you approach 18, up to the age of 25. Skills There are many skills you need, depending on where you live now or plan to live in the future. We will support you to develop the skills you will need to live successfully on your own. You might want to start thinking about your own skills that you need. What are they? Practical The most important is managing money, especially if you are not working and receive the same amount of money as benefits. A budget is a plan of how to use the amount of money you have week by week, spending on what is most important in comparison to what money you have coming in. Other skills Managing relationships with friends and family are important. Managing your time and social life is also important. It can be quite lonely if you move on. You need to know how to communicate properly with officials like employers. Emergency contact Shelter Advice Line 0808 800 444 Leaving and aftercare guide 5
Accommodation Having Your Own Place There are options available from 16 to 18 years however you will have to discuss this with your Worker. These options will be in relation to your specific requirements and or needs that have been assessed in your Pathway Plan before your 18th birthday. So think about things that have gone right and things that have gone wrong! And remember it s never too late to make changes! Options You need to understand the options to make the right choice and for your needs and abilities. Your own place A tenancy (or licence) is a legal document which entitles the person or tenant to live in a property, and outlines the responsibilities which go with this. There are different sorts of tenancy agreements, depending on the place you live and the type of landlord you have. If you have a tenancy, you have legal rights. Whatever type of agreement you have, make sure that you are given a copy at the time it is signed. Council or Housing Association flat or bed-sit Social housing is where the Council or a Housing Association is the landlord and usually rents are lower and the tenant has more security. Privately rented accommodation can be a self-contained or shared flat. Rents are usually higher and landlords can be more choosy about who they let to. Now I ve got my own place I am really enjoying having my independence. Lodgings or sharing Living in someone else s house may be cheaper, and less lonely, although without the freedom of a place of your own. If you share facilities with others you should be given a written licence, which is like a tenancy but with less security. Supported Accommodation After 18 you can usually remain living in supported housing for some time, to prepare you to move to independent living. Family, friends etc. Staying with other people may also be right for you, and you will be able to seek advice from your Worker and the Council housing services if later on you need to move (especially if you are in danger of becoming homeless ). Money Most young people who have been in care cannot claim benefits until they are 18 years old. Then you will need to look at how to provide your own income and pay your own rent. There is a Benefits Adviser who works for Leaving & After Care who can help and give you advice. Area Sometimes there are problems in getting a place of your own if you do not come from that area in the first place. You may have moved to Supported Lodgings or housing in another district and want to move on from there. Often this is possible but sometimes the local Housing Department do not feel that you have a local connection and say you should live where you came from. Start talking to your Worker early about the area you want to live. Emergency contact Shelter Advice Line 0808 800 444 6 Leaving and aftercare guide
Accommodation Maintaining your home Having got somewhere suitable to live and keeping it is very important. The main thing to remember is that if you have problems, talk to your Worker or landlord and don t ignore official looking letters they could be very important. Money and rent Budgeting is very important so try to keep money aside for bills. Also, make sure that you are receiving any benefits you should get. Speak to your Worker, who can help you get the advice you need. University, colleges and apprenticeships If you are studying you may be eligible for extra allowances, grants, loans or benefits. The Leaving & After Care Service may also be able to help you. Keeping your tenancy (licence) Get to know who deals with your tenancy or licence (landlord, estate officer, Support Worker) and keep letters and documents safe. If you don t understand what you are sent, don t ignore it. If you have a tenancy (or licence) you have to keep to the rules laid out, such as pay the rent (keep up your benefit claim, live at the address at least most of the time), not be a nuisance or behave in an anti-social way. Some rules may be specifically for where you live others more general, so, for example, you may be able to have pets in some places, but not in others. If you are experiencing problems from neighbours or others, don t take the law into your own hands, as you could end up in trouble. Councils and Housing Associations will have policies on this and can take things further. If someone wants to move in with you discuss this with your landlord first. If things go wrong You have legal rights as a tenant to stay in a property, and this can be ended by either the tenant or the landlord giving the period of notice stated in the tenancy agreement. If you have a licence you have less protection, but still should be given reasonable notice to leave (licences tend to be used where you share some facilities). Homelessness The Council has a duty to give help and advice to people who are homeless, but they do not have to provide, or help to find accommodation for everyone. As a care leaver you are considered as Priority Need under the law, but other things have to be looked at too, such as are you homeless because of something you have or haven t done e.g. not pay your rent or caused problems to other people where you lived. The District / Borough Council will also check that you have a local connection to the area you are making an application in. While they investigate your situation you may be placed in temporary accommodation and you have to stay there. Remember if you owe money to a social landlord (Housing Association etc.) this will probably affect the situation too. Emergency contact Shelter Advice Line 0808 163 5349 It was a bit scary at first but I now enjoy the responsibility of managing my own money on things like rent. Leaving and aftercare guide 7
Education, Employment and Training 8 Leaving and aftercare guide
Education, Employment and Training Getting started Look out for If you re thinking about higher education, you may need GCSEs in certain subjects. During study we are still here to support you financially. You may have an idea of the sort of career you want, and prefer the idea of on the job training plus some college time Contacts www.essex.gov.uk www.direct.gov.uk (click on education and learning www.apprenticeships.org.uk www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk www.princes-trust.org.uk https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/ Pages/Home.aspx http://www.thewhocarestrust.org.uk/pages/ care-advice-line-.html http://propel.org.uk/ The Apprenticeship Scheme is a good idea for me as I like the thought of being able to work as well as go to college. Whether you re thinking about doing A Levels, a training course or becoming an Apprentice, getting your hands on some much needed money is going to be high on your list of priorities. If you continue to learn and develop your skills, you could receive a weekly sum to help you out with things like books, travel and equipment. Apprenticeships are available. We can advise you on who can give you more information on this and help you with the application process including advice on form-filling, letter writing and making the most of interviews. Apprenticeships generally last for two years and cover many areas of interest such as IT, Horticulture, Plumbing and Childcare. They are often made up of a number of days weekly learning on the job with a day or so at college. Qualifications lead to NVQs. This can be a great way of training if you don t want to be in a classroom on a full-time basis and it does give you a real insight into what the job you will end up doing is really like. You also end up with a great qualification and some good experience. Jargon Buster GCSE General Certificate of Secondary Education Jobcentre Plus Gives help and advice on jobs and training for people who can work and financial help for those who cannot. NVQs National Vocational Qualifications are work-related, competence-based qualification. Citizenship citizenship education helps to provide knowledge, skills and understanding to prepare for a full and active part in society BTEC Business and Technology Education Council are specialist workrelated qualifications. They combine practical learning with subject and theory content Leaving and aftercare guide 9
Education, Employment and Training College & University Look out for Open days where you can visit Colleges or University to get a feel for the courses available and what it s really like. Prince s Trust information about benefits and support. Support Your Worker, Targeted Youth Advisor as well as Benefits Adviser will provide advice. Find out as much as you can about higher education and what it can offer. Only one out of every hundred care leavers in the UK go on to study at University, compared with 43% of all young people. Going to College or University will increase your chances of employment. We will support young people, where the pathway plan sets out a programme of education or training which extends beyond his 21st birthday. (the LA duties continue for as long as he pursues that programme) Some young people leaving care go to College and may go to University. Others may repeat some of the school work they have missed so that they can retake their GCSEs or take A Levels. If you are thinking of going to University we may be able to help you. The Leaving Care Finance Handbook will tell you about your entitlements. This help can last until you are 25 years old and should be in your Pathway Plan. We want to help you make the most of your opportunities and will support you through higher education as much as we can. It is important to us that you do well. We are so proud of our students! We would want to attend open days and graduations to show you just how much your achievement mean to us. Your Worker will help you with advice on benefits available to you. Going to College has changed my life. It s made me realise just how much I can do. 10 Leaving and aftercare guide
Education, Employment and Training Job Seeking & Study Support At this stage you may still not know what career you want. Don t get stressed. To help you decide, it s a good idea to start by asking yourself what sort of person you are, what you enjoy doing and what you re good at. Think about what you re like outside as well as in education. Ask yourself if you are the sort of person who enjoys working things out and thinking them through or if you prefer practical activities or artistic options. Think about what you are most interested in it could be other cultures and languages, writing projects, helping people, being outdoors or designing things. Support Talk to your Worker. Your PEP (Personal Education Plan) meeting is very important, it will help you make choices and give you the support you need so make the most of these meetings. Contacts www.essex.gov.uk www.princes-trust.org.uk www.direct.gov.uk (click on Education and Learning) www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk www.apprenticeships.org.uk https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/ Pages/Home.aspx Without The Prince s Trust I d be stuck. I m determined to make a better life for myself. Choosing which subject options to study can be scary. Don t panic! There s lots of information and advice to help you choose what s right for you. You will have a PEP (Personal Education Plan) meeting to help you focus on your goals and aims. We will also explain the support which is available along the way. We know you can t plan out your whole life from the options you choose in year 9, but this is a good time to think about what you might want to do in the future. Although it might be handy to have an idea of what you want to do when you leave school, it s okay if you re not quite ready to make that decision just yet. Studying isn t just about GCSEs. You may also be able to choose from work-related qualifications, Young Apprenticeships and courses in Key Skills like English and Maths. We are here to support you with advice on job seeking, interviews and CV writing. We have in-house advisers for extra help, who can be contacted through your Worker. The Prince s Trust is the UK s leading youth charity, helping to change young lives. They help young people develop confidence and skills to get into education, training and employment. They help: Develop confidence skills and prepare for work. Improve motivation. Start-up in business. Overcome barriers to help get young lives working again with mentor support for those leaving care. Leaving and aftercare guide 11
Your Finances 12 Leaving and aftercare guide
Your Finances Benefits & LAC entitlements Look out for Benefit entitlements if you are a young parent or have a disability. Our in-house Benefits Adviser can explain any complications and entitlements. Support Speak to your Worker and find out what benefits you are entitled to. Think about budgeting and how much you will have to spend on living expenses. Think about further education, you will get some support and help and end up with a qualification. Open a bank account. Start thinking about saving perhaps just a small amount regularly, for help later on. Contacts Benefits Enquiry Line 0800 88 22 00 www.citizensadvice.org.uk www.studentfinancedirect.co.uk Generally you cannot claim benefits if you are under 18, although some 16 and 17 year olds can claim benefits, for example if you are a young parent or have a disability. From 18 you can claim benefits and Leaving & After Care will no longer be your main source of income. We will help you make your claim and we may be able to help you financially if you are in full-time education up to the age of 25. See our in-house Benefits Adviser. If you go on to University you will be funded by a student loan in the same way as everyone else. We will help you find somewhere to live in the holidays if you need it, or help with re-location if you need to study far from home. Your Worker will help you with claims and explain your entitlements. If you have a disability there are other benefits you may be entitled to including any benefits for any special needs you may have. If you are a young parent of 16 or over there are some benefits you can claim. In all cases, discuss this with your PA. My Personal Adviser has helped me set up a bank account, so my benefits can be processed and paid in on time. Leaving and aftercare guide 13
Your Finances Budgeting & Preparation Look out for Take the opportunity to walk round a supermarket as if it were you who was paying the bill. How would you budget? What would you buy? Also look out for how much other things cost like transport, phone bills and clothes. Support Start with simple things: Cook a snack. Organise and do your own homework. Manage your own money. Hang up your clothes and put your dirty washing in the laundry basket. Think about opening a savings account. Getting the hang of it: Learn how to use the washing machine and iron clothes. Go out by yourself and get back at an agreed time. Plan and cook a meal. Open a savings or bank account. Contacts NSPCC 0808 800 5000 www.nspcc.org.uk Childline 0800 1111 www.childline.org.uk www.thewhocarestrust.org.uk www.childrenslegalcentre.com www.essex.gov.uk www.princes-trust.org.uk Even though it may be some time until you will be living independently it s a good idea to start learning how to look after yourself. Remember, there is our Life Skills Programme available to assist you. Everything you learn now will be really useful one day in the future. Talk to your carer or Worker about how you might plan this out. Start with the easy stuff e.g. learning to cook a snack and in time this could develop into planning, costing, buying and cooking a special meal. At our drop-ins you can have a practice run and use the kitchen! There are always important things to learn about just by watching and talking e.g. how household bills are worked out and paid and all the things that can go wrong like a burst pipe, a chip pan fire or an electricity fuse blowing. Disasters might not happen but it s good to be prepared! Also be aware that there will come a time when you will have to live independently, so why not start preparing for it now. I like cooking and really enjoy preparing a meal for everyone to sit down and eat together. 14 Leaving and aftercare guide
Your Health Leaving and aftercare guide 15
Your Health Healthy lifestyles Look out for Worries about leaving care or where you will be living may be stressing you out. Eating too much junk food. Getting lazy and avoiding exercise and putting on weight. Getting to stressed with changes and new experiences which are coming up in life. Support You don t need to join an expensive gym to get fit. Jog in the park or walk home. Avoid fast foods as much as possible. Try to eat more fresh fruit and vegetables (at least five a day), they are cheaper and better for you. If you re feeling uptight make sure you get some me time every now and again. If you feel anxious or depressed talk to your Worker. Register with a local Doctor for your health support and access to other health services. You are young, you have a whole lifetime ahead of you. Enjoy feeling active and energised. Contacts www.healthline.com www.fdf.org.uk www.sportessex.com http://kidshealth.org/teen Your Doctor www.essex.gov.uk What is a healthy lifestyle? Balance is the key, it s about what you put into your body and also how you burn that energy off. Food is burned in our bodies to create energy. If we don t use it, we get fat! Keeping active will improve your overall health, your mood and help keep a healthy body weight. Too much watching TV or playing computer games just won t help you look or feel good. Just because you aren t sporty doesn t mean you can t be active. Take a walk, visit a park or start a dance or drama class. It s really true that a healthy body can help towards a healthy mind. Positive activities can reduce your stress levels and make you feel good about yourself. Avoid fast foods like burgers, pizzas and kebabs as much as you can and try to plan them as an occasional treat. Try to eat more fresh fruit and vegetables, read Nutritional Information on food packaging. Fresh foods are often cheaper which helps when you re on a tight budget. There are many other areas of our health we need to think about too like sexual health, healthy teeth, drugs and alcohol and generally looking after ourselves. It s important to see your Doctor and Dentist regularly it s a great way to MOT your body. 16 Leaving and aftercare guide
Your Health Substance misuse Look out for Drugs affect people differently, but they can harm your body and mind so that you don t have so much control of yourself. Smoking can lead to cancer and heart disease. Solvents can cause blackouts, vomiting, heart problems and even instant death. Some people get addicted to drugs and cigarettes and can t cope without them. Binge drinking it s bad for your health. Support Worried about what you re taking?: Ask yourself whether it s because your friends are doing it too. Say no when you re offered drugs, people will think more of you if you make your own choices. Worried about a friend?: Try and get them to see they have a problem and find help. Often people who take drugs or smoke don t want to stop. They have to want to change themselves you can t do it for them. Contacts Essex Young People s Drug & Alcohol Service (EYPDAS) 01245 493311 www.essexdrugaction.org FRANK 0800 77 66 00 www.talktofrank.com NHS Smoking Helpline 0800 022 4 332 http://smokefree.nhs.uk Lots of young people want to know about drugs and alcohol this doesn t mean you have to take them or feel like you should just because people around you are. Maybe you ve started smoking because you re stressed at school. Or you might have tried drugs, like cannabis, because your friends have too. But if you know how these things affect you, you ll be able to make good choices for yourself. Smokers skin can be prematurely aged by between 10 and 20 years. The effect of any substance will depend on the type and amount of drug, how you are feeling, where you are when taking it and who you are with. Alcohol and nicotine are addictive and can be difficult to give up. Just because everyone is doing it, don t follow the crowd and feel you should. There are specialists Workers who can advise you if you are worried about yourself or someone else. A lot of my friends smoke. I m so glad that I don t and I won t be pressurised into it either. Leaving and aftercare guide 17
Your Health Stress and Pressure Look out for Feeling anxious and irritable. Wanting to cry a lot. Eating more or less than usual. Headaches, upset stomach or skin rashes. Being unable to sleep at night. Feeling you are useless or have no control. Support You may feel under too much pressure. It may be that you are putting yourself under too much stress. You may be finding it hard to think about leaving care and living more independently. Take a deep breath and walk away from the thing that s stressing you out, even if it s only for a few minutes. Go for a walk or a run, it will make you feel better. Eat healthily and try to get enough sleep. Don t smoke or drink to cope with stress. It ll just make you feel worse. When you are feeling anxious, it makes it harder to cope. Talk to your Worker. When you worry a lot about something that means you re stressed. Feeling stressed occasionally is normal and can be a good thing, but too much stress is bad for your health. Lots of things can cause this change, leaving care, being bullied or harmed, problems at home or pressure of College or trying to find a job. Give yourself realistic goals. Don t expect everything to be okay overnight. If you plan ahead you will feel calmer and have a better approach. Think about things that make you feel stressed and make a list which you can deal with, tick off or maybe put to one side for a while. Worries won t go away, but they are much easier to deal with once you see things in black and white and can look at them in a more ordered way. Exercise is an amazing way to release stress. Your brain releases chemicals endorphins that bring you out of your state and make you feel calm, positive and at ease. We have a MHC (Mental Health Coordinator) who you can chat to. Contacts www.youngminds.org.uk www.ru-ok.org.uk www.childline.org.uk www.nspcc.org.uk I felt anxious and panicky about all the changes happening in life. Once I spoke to my friends about it, I realised I wasn t alone. 18 Leaving and aftercare guide
Your Health Sexual health & STIs Look out for Are you ready to have sex?: Nobody is putting pressure on you and most young people wait until they are at least 16 before they have sex, even if they say different! You re doing it because you think all your friends are. Support Free and confidential advice, information and contraceptives are available from some young people s sexual health clinics and Doctors. If you ve had sex without contraception, or think it s failed, you can take emergency contraception up to 72 hours later. If you think you might be pregnant, talk to someone you trust. Free pregnancy testing is available at all young people s sexual health clinics, GUM clinics and some Doctors. Contacts Your Parent/Carer Your School Nurse Your Doctor Ask Brook 0808 802 1234 www.brook.org.uk Part of growing up is going out with people and then maybe, when the time is right, having sex for the first time. In the UK the age of consent for sex is 16. But only you know if you re ready to sleep with someone. It s vital to have safe sex and use contraception. A condom is best it stops you getting pregnant and also stops you catching a Sexually Transmitted Infection or STI. Emergency contraception is available but it is exactly that for use in an emergency only. Make sure you take it as soon as possible. Don t be embarrassed to ask for advice it s important you learn the correct facts that way you can make informed choices. There are many leaflets, books, organisations and websites that can give you advice on the subject of sexual health. Alternatively talk to someone you trust, like your parent, carer or Doctor. If we respect others it helps us remember to respect ourselves. My boyfriend said that he d finish with me if I didn t sleep with him. I realised then that he didn t care enough about me to respect my feelings. Leaving and aftercare guide 19
Personal Development and Support 20 Leaving and aftercare guide
Personal Development and Support Advocacy & your rights Your rights include: The right to be helped by Social Services if you need help and support. The right to healthcare and education. The right to protection if you are being harmed or mistreated. The right to see what is being written-up about you. The right to have contact with family and friends. The right to complain. Look out for If English is not your first language we can provide a translator and help you contact support agencies. Children in Care Council (CICC) Contacts Get information on obtaining an Advocate from Workers www.barnados.org.uk www.nyas.net www.rights4u.org.uk www.coramvoice.org.uk We all have rights and should respect the rights of others. The Children Act is there to make sure that as a care leaver you are treated fairly. Leaving care You have the right to continue with support up to the age of 21, after you leave care at 18 (or older if in full-time education). We aim to complete you Pathway Plan within three months of your 16th birthday. If you come into care later your Worker will help you complete your Pathway Plan as soon as possible. Getting legal advice We have advisers who are able to help you with any legal advice you need. You may need an advocate, who is someone who can explain your thoughts and wishes and put them across in a very clear way to those responsible for making decisions about your future. What is advocacy? You have the right to have your views, wishes and feelings taken into account when decisions are made about your life. Advocacy is about someone speaking up for you and helping you to make sure that your rights are respected and that your views and wishes are heard. My advocate helped put my thoughts across in words. Leaving and aftercare guide 21
Personal Development and Support Get involved Look out for New courses which can really help with independent living. New ways of making friends and building a social life. County and local Steering Group. Parliamentary Group CICC Drop-in Activity days. Support Find out what s going on near you and come along. Think about trying something completely new, you may just surprise yourself. You could think about becoming a member of the Association Parliamentary Group (APG) and get the chance to visit parliament and talk to an MP. We are always trying to find new ways to offer new opportunities. We run a number of groups including cookery groups, preparation for independence plus lots of other social activities like bowling or nights out. And, if you have a great idea, let us know! We have Parliamentary Steering Groups, local drop-ins and county activities. These include culturally themed evenings and parent and baby activities. There are also links to other services which will support you with your education and employment plans. Some teams offer drop-in sessions. Ask your PA for more information. Contacts Email: involvement@essex.gov.uk https://essex.younglife.org It s great to chat to people who are interested in the same things I am. 22 Leaving and aftercare guide
Personal Development and Support 21 plus Look out for By now you will probably be living independently but we would like to hear how you are getting on. If you are in full-time education or you plan to do an education programme, we will support you until you are 25 years of age. Support Why not think about becoming a volunteer or a mentor. You could become involved in group work or even think about working with young people in care. Your experiences as a young person in care and adjusting to independent living are valuable. You could think about using those skills as a career. Contacts www.princes-trust.org.uk www.volunteering.org.uk We have spent a lot of time together and have got to know one another quite well by now. Now it s time to say our goodbyes officially (but we always like to hear how you are getting on) and we are proud of you. We hope the help we have given you has been good and that it has made a difference to your teenage years. It s up to you to take up as many opportunities and make the most of all the advice, information and support out there. If you need help in the future take a look at the useful contacts at the back. If you are in full-time education we will still be supporting you until you finish your course up to a maximum age of 25. We ll help you meet your accommodation costs in the summer holidays and give you financial support by way of a bursary. Take advantage of all the opportunities you can. Leaving and aftercare guide 23
Personal Development and Support Useful contacts General www.essex.gov.uk ChildLine 0800 1111 www.childline.org.uk Essex Police 0300 333 444 (non- emergency) NSPCC 0808 800 5000 www.nspcc.org.uk www.2smart.co.uk www.essex.younglife.org www.citizensadvice.org.uk Education www.essex.gov.uk www.apprenticeships.org.uk www.direct.gov.uk www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk www.princes-trust.org.uk Legal www.adviceguide.org.uk www.childrenslegalcentre.com www.refugeecouncil.org www.shelter.org.uk Health www.essex.gov.uk Ask Brook 0808 802 1234 www.brook.org.uk ChildLine 0800 1111 www.childline.org.uk Cruse Bereavement Care 0808 808 1677 www.cruse.org.uk Drinkline 0800 917 8282 FRANK 0800 77 66 00 www.talktofrank.com NHS Smoking Helpline 0800 022 4 332 http://smokefree.nhs.uk Samaritans 08457 90 90 90 www.samaritans.org www.actionforchildren.org.uk www.fpa.org.uk www.healthline.com www.ru-ok.org.uk www.sportengland.org www.teenagehealthfreak.org www.thesite.org.uk www.youngminds.org.uk www.themix.org.uk www.ukimmigration.com 24 Leaving and aftercare guide
This leaflet is issued by Essex County Council, Leaving & After Care Service Contact details for Leaving & After Care: West: Leaving After Care Team West, Goodman House, Station Approach, Harlow CM20 2ET Telephone: 0333 013 9932 / 0333 013 9939 South: Leaving After Care Team South, Ely House, Basildon SS14 2BW Telephone: 0333 013 8935 North: Leaving After Care Team North, Stanwell House, Stanwell Street, Colchester CO2 7DL Telephone: 0333 013 9980 Mid: Leaving After Care Team Mid, E3 Zone 2, County Hall, Market Road, Chelmsford CM1 1QH Telephone: 0333 013 8941 The information contained in this leaflet can be translated, and/or made available in alternative formats, on request. My worker is: and they can be contacted on: Leaving and aftercare guide 25
Myth Busters There can be misunderstandings around what LACT can and cannot do, so here are some common assumptions and the truth behind them. I will get a flat from social when I want to move out on my own Social Care has a duty to provide you with accommodation until you are 18 years old. There are various options including foster care, supported lodgings or semi-independent accommodation. In some circumstances you may have a placement in a flat with support. Unless you stay in foster care, once you turn 18, Social Care cannot continue to fund your accommodation and Social Care cannot provide flats for young people. However, you will have support to make a plan for your housing and it is likely that the local council would be involved with this and will want you to live in supported housing before offering you a flat to make sure you can manage. Social Care does have a very small number of nominations for housing with local councils and if you have shown that you are able to manage living independently you could be put forward for this when you are older. I can leave care when I m 16 If you are in care on a Full Care Order Section 31 you will remain in care until you are 18. Only the courts can change this. If you are in care and you are accommodated under Section 20, after you are 16 you are able to state that you no longer wish to be in care. You would then become a relevant young person. There would be some small changes, but basically you would still have support from Social Care until and after you turn 18. You would not be able to claim benefits to help with income or accommodation costs as these would still be provided by Social Care (see below). I can claim benefits when I m 16 If you are with LACT and under 18 you are not able to claim benefits such as job seekers allowance or housing benefit. This is because Social Care has a duty to pay for your accommodation and provide you with an income. So you will get a personal allowance from LACT and the cost of your accommodation should be paid by Social Care. However, if you are a lone parent you may be able to claim Income Support, in which case your personal allowance would be stopped. Also if you have some kind of disability you may be able to apply for PIP (Personal Independence Payments) or Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). When I m 18 I won t have to have anything to do with social If you chose not to, you do not have to accept support from Social Care after you are 18. If you do not want contact with your worker this is your choice. However, Social Care has a duty to try and maintain contact with you and offer you a service of advice and support even after you are 18. So your worker will continue to try and reach you maybe by phone or letter and you will have a named worker until you are 21 even if you are not in contact. So, should you change your mind, you can still get in touch. 26 Leaving and aftercare guide
I will have to leave foster care when I turn 18 There is new legislation now in place so that, if you and your foster carers want you to stay with them after you are 18, this should be possible. There is a Staying Put Policy which outlines how this can work. Your foster carers would have to be in agreement with this. You would need to talk to your worker if this is the best option for you and it would have to be agreed by a panel of managers. If the plan is for you to stay living with a former foster carer you would be expected to pay rent to them and the accommodation would be viewed as a private lodgings agreement. Social have to give me a clothing allowance LACT do not give out clothing allowance. If you are in foster care, your carers will get allowance for your clothes so should support you with purchasing clothes. If you are under 18 and not in foster care LACT will provide you with a weekly personal allowance and this should be budgeted for various living expenses including your own clothes. If you are over 18 your income, either benefits or wages, should be planned to cover your clothes. In some circumstances LACT may consider helping with one-off support, this could be for a winter coat, clothing for a funeral, or interview or items needed for work. However this is discretionary, not something we have a duty to do and would need to be discussed and agreed with your Worker and the Team Manager. I won t get any help after I m 18 There is legislation in place to ensure that care leavers get on-going support post 18. So LACT have a duty to continue to offer you advice and support once you have left care at 18 and until you turn 21 (or older if you are in education or training). This means that you will still have a named worker who will keep in touch and visit you regularly for support. You will continue to have a Pathway Plan which you will talk about with your Worker and will set out what support you have. Social pay you even if you don t go to work or college Until you are 18 LACT have a duty to provide you with an income. If you live in semi independence you will receive a Personal Allowance (PA). These are the same as benefit rates. Unlike benefits, there are no conditions attached to these payments, so while you will be supported and encouraged to engage in education or training, your money will not be stopped if you don t. If you are working you can earn up to 50 per week before your personal allowance is affected and then money will be deducted 1 for 1. So, for example, if you earn 70 per week, 20 will be taken off your personal allowance. Personal Allowance stops when you turn 18 and leave care, so you need to plan with your Worker what your income will be after this, either working or benefits. Leaving and aftercare guide 27
Key Terms Local Connection You live in the area If you have lived in the area for six months out of the past 12, or three years out of the past five, you have a local connection. To have a local connection, you must have lived in the area by choice. It is unlikely that you qualify if you have only lived in an area because you have been in a prison or a hospital there. But you do have a local connection if you were posted there by the Armed Forces. You have close family in the area You have a local connection if you have close family who have lived in the area for at least five years. Close family is usually your mother, father, siblings or children. You may have a local connection if you were brought up in the area by a different family member such as an aunt, uncle or grandparent. You work in the area You have a local connection if you work in the area. Your employment doesn t have to be full-time. Part-time work counts. Self-employed people can have a local connection if they mainly work in the council s area. Other reasons There are other special reasons that the council considers as a local connection. For example you may need to live in an area to receive specialist health care or because in the past you lived in the area for a long time. Tenancy Agreement Your Tenancy Agreement is the legal document that you and your landlord sign to agree on the terms of you renting and living at the property. These include commitments of both you and your landlord e.g. you to pay your rent and your landlord to fix things that are broken. Housing Benefit Rate Single people who have been in care are entitled to the one-bedroomed, self-contained rate of local housing allowance rather than the shared accommodation rate. Please note this will change at the age of 22. Council Tax If you own or rent the home that you live in, you are probably liable to pay Council Tax. The rate of Council Tax will depend on where you live, what property you live in and your circumstances. You receive your Council Tax bill in April each year. The payments are spread out over the following 10 or 12 months. Council Tax is an important bill to pay. You could be taken to court if you don t pay your bill. You may be eligible for support in paying your Council Tax if you are in receipt of benefits, however this is no longer given through the usual benefits system and is now paid through the Local Council Tax Scheme and you will therefore need to apply to your local council. 28 Leaving and aftercare guide
Intentionally Homeless Becoming intentionally homeless means that you are homeless because you left accommodation that you could have stayed in. If your last home was temporary or short-term, the council looks into the reasons you left your settled home. When deciding if you are or aren t intentionally homeless, the council must consider the reasons you became homeless. It s up to the council to prove that you became homeless intentionally and that: you knowingly did, or failed to do, something that caused you to leave your home the act, or failure to act, was deliberate or you were aware of what was going on you could have reasonably stayed in that accommodation Surcharge You may be expected to pay a surcharge for your property when you rent, this can cover maintenance costs on communal areas etc. It is important to check if this is the case as Housing Benefit will not pay this and you will be expected to pay this yourself. Repairs Your landlord has certain legal responsibilities for repairs. These should be written in your tenancy agreement but if not this does not mean that they should not be responsible for them. You may also have the responsibility to repair or maintain certain things in the property, e.g. the garden. Landlords are always responsible for repairs to: the structure and exterior of the building, such as the walls, roof, external doors and windows sinks, baths, toilets and other sanitary fittings, including pipes and drains heating and hot water all gas appliances, pipes, flues and ventilation electrical wiring Landlords are also responsible for putting right any damage to internal decorations that was caused by the disrepair of while repairs they are responsible for are carried out. The landlord may be responsible for repairing or replacing faulty items or appliances in your home if they were provided to you at the start of the tenancy, for example fridges and washing machines. Check what your tenancy agreement says about this. Your landlord is probably not responsible for any appliances you bought yourself. Leaving and aftercare guide 29
Temporary Accommodation Temporary accommodation is the type of accommodation that you will be placed in by the council whilst they make a decision whether or not to provide you with housing and/or until they are able to find you alternative accommodation. Bed & Breakfast accommodation is normally considered suitable, unless you have children. Families with children can only be housed in a bed and breakfast in an emergency and, even then, usually for a maximum of six weeks. After that, the council is legally required to find you somewhere more suitable to live. Floating Support When you move into your own accommodation you may be offered additional help to manage your tenancy through floating support. You will have an allocated worker who will visit you at your home who will support you in managing your bills, shopping, cooking, cleaning etc. Once the Council finishes its enquiries into your homeless application and decides that it has a responsibility to house you, there is no limit to how long you can stay in the temporary accommodation as long as: it remains suitable for you you stick to any conditions that the council has included in your agreement You can live there until the council arranges settled accommodation for you or until you find a place you would prefer to live. The council may no longer have a responsibility to help you if you chose to leave the temporary accommodation. You may also get less priority on the waiting list for permanent council or housing association homes. 30 Leaving and aftercare guide
The Legal Stuff In the Leaving & After Care Service we have to work under legislation set out by the government. This tells us who we need to offer a service to and what support we should be giving to young people who have been in care. The main pieces of legislation we use are Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000 and the Care Leavers (England) Regulations 2015. These pieces of legislation outline four categories of young people and care leavers who are entitled to support from the Local Authority after their 16th birthday. You may hear the following phrases being mentioned in your reviews or paperwork. Eligible child You are called Eligible if you are aged 16 or 17 and currently looked after, either on a Care Order (Section 31 of the Children Act 1989) or accommodated (Section 20). To be Eligible you must have been looked after for 13 weeks, either in one period or periods adding up to 13 weeks, which began after your 14th birthday and ended after your 16th birthday. Relevant child You would be called Relevant if you were once Eligible, are aged 16 or 17 and have left care. Former relevant child (Section 23c) This is young people who have previously been in care, either Eligible, Relevant or both, are aged 18-21 (or up to 25 if in full time further or higher education) and have left care. Qualifying child (Section 24) This includes young people who are aged 16-21 with a Special Guardianship Order in place or was before turning 18 years old and were looked after immediately before the order was made. Or, also young people who have been looked after at any time between the age of 16 and 18, but are no longer looked after, accommodated or fostered. Been in care for less than 13 weeks. Asylum seekers You may be getting a service from Leaving & After Care because you have had to leave your home country and seek asylum in the UK. There are various different stages of this process and the support available to you will be explained by your Worker. Leaving and aftercare guide 31
The Essex Care Leavers Charter (Our promise to young people leaving care We promise to believe in you We will encourage and support you to pursue your goals, and will believe in you and celebrate you. We Promise to listen to you We will take time to listen to you and try hard to understand your point of view, and place your needs, thoughts and feelings at the heart of all decisions. We Promise to inform you We will give you information you need at every point in your journey, from care to adulthood, including your rights and entitlements and the service you can expect. We Promise to support you We will give you information, advice, practical, financial help and emotional support. We will make sure you don t have to fight for something you re entitled to. If we cannot help you, we will find someone who can. We Promise to find you a home We will help you prepare to move into independent living when you are ready and help you choose the right place where you will be safe and happy. We Promise to respect you and your identity We will help you discover who you are, develop your personal beliefs and values, your culture and heritage, and support you with important relationships. We Promise to be your lifelong champion We will help you deal with other agencies and will work together with services you need such as housing, employment, education, benefits and health. We will never forget about you and remain your supporters in whatever we can. 32 Leaving and aftercare guide