Care leavers local offer

If you are 16 or 18 years old in care and have been in care for at least 13 weeks since the age of 14, you will meet the criteria as an 'eligible child'.

If you are an eligible child (16 to 18), you can expect:

• an allocated social worker
• a full assessment based on your needs
• a detailed pathway plan based on your assessed needs which, you will need to be a key contributor towards this
• your plan to be reviewed every 6 months
• us to keep in touch and visit you every eight weeks (more often if necessary or less as identified within your pathway plan)
• financial support where appropriate
• support to help you to access safe and suitable accommodation
• financial support to help you maintain education, training or employment
• us to ensure that you have a bank account, National Insurance number and passport (unless your legal status prevents you).

If you are 16 to 18 years old, have left care, but were in care on or after your 16th birthday and have been in care for at least 13 weeks since the age of 14, you will meet the criteria as a 'relevant child'.

This applies if you have been part of the youth justice system or hospitalised on or after your 16th birthday.

If you are a relevant child (16 to 18), you can expect:

• an allocated social worker
• a full assessment based on your needs
• a detailed pathway plan (PWP) based on your assessed needs; you will need to be a key contributor towards this
• your plan to be reviewed every six months
• us to keep in touch and visit you every eight weeks (more often if necessary or less as identified within your pathway plan)
• financial support as relevant
• support to help you to access safe and suitable accommodation
• financial support to help you maintain education, training or employment
• us to ensure that you have a bank account, National Insurance number and passport (unless your legal status prevents you).

This will apply if you are now aged 18 to 21 years old and you were previously either an eligible or relevant child.

If you are aged 18 to 21 years of age and former relevant child, you can expect:

• an allocated social worker
• you will continue to have six monthly pathway plan reviews to track your progress and identify what areas you need support with.
• you will be provided with a copy of your detailed pathway plan.
• when you turn 18 we will keep in touch and visit you eight weeks (more often if necessary). This will be reviewed as part of your pathway plan as you progress towards independence
• ensuring that you are in relevant, safe and suitable accommodation
• financial support to help you maintain education, training or employment
• to provide you with vacation accommodation during the summer holidays if you are in higher education or residential further education; if you have to vacate your term time accommodation.

If you are aged 16 to 21 years old and have been in care or, if disabled, have been privately fostered after reaching 16, but do not qualify as eligible, relevant or former relevant (you spent less than 13 weeks in care).

You may also qualify if you are subject to a special guardianship order (SGO) and were looked after immediately before the SGO was made, or, if you were previously an eligible child, but returned to live with someone with parental responsibility for more than 6 months before your 18th birthday.

You can contact the service at any time for advice and guidance.

If you contact us requesting support, we will:

• assess your needs and provide you with the appropriate advice and guidance based on those needs
• provide you with vacation accommodation during the summer holidays if you are in higher education
• reach out annually to remind you of the service available to you.