Planning for Leaving Care

What does ‘leaving care’ mean?

When do we start planning?

• Planning should start around your 16th birthday.
• Your social worker (and perhaps a Personal Advisor too) will help you develop a Pathway Plan.
• This Pathway Plan looks at how you’re getting on in life, what you’d like to do in the future, and how we can help you to achieve your goals.
• Pathway Plans are reviewed at least every 6 months, and you can ask to change your plans whenever you like.

Start thinking about…

What is important to you?

Where do you want to live?

Do you want to continue at college – or go to university?

Do you have a particular career goal?

What are my rights as a care leaver?

• Your local authority must give you help and support until you are 21 years old (or 25 if you ask for continued support).
• Your Personal Advisor will keep in touch and visit you.
• Your Pathway Plan will be reviewed at least every 6 months.
• You will get help with finding suitable housing – and priority for council housing.
• A ‘Setting up Home Allowance’ to help you buy the things you’ll need in your first home.
• Help to get back into education or training if you wish.
• A Higher Education grant if you wish to go to university.
• Financial support at college. e.g. help with costs of equipment and travel (if agreed in your Pathway Plan).

Local Offer for Care Leavers

Every local authority publishes their ‘Local Offer for Care Leavers’, which will tell you what your local authority will do to help you as a young adult. Your local authority has to provide the things listed above (your rights), but can do more than this.

Ask your social worker for a copy of your Local Offer.

Your rights and responsibilities