Leaving Care team 16+

Leaving care service - who is it for?

• Looked After Children who are 16/17 who will be preparing to leave the care of the London Borough of Bexley when they are 18
• Care leavers aged 18 (or up to 24 if still in full time education)
• Care leavers who have ceased contact with the department aged 21 and wish to resume their education up until the age of 25

What do we do?

Prepare Looked After Children for independence and support them to make a successful transition to independence and adult life.

How do we work?

When a young person in care reaches 16, responsibility for their care transfers to this team. We start by helping our young people to identify their personal strengths, achievements and ambitions, to audit their life and independence skills and identify areas for development.

The young person draws up a Pathway Plan with their Social Worker. The plan sets goals, up to five years ahead, for education/training and a job or career, where to live, how to maintain good health and develop a satisfying social life. The plan will also identify who will help, the services and resources to be used and how it will be financed.

We directly provide a range of services and resources for our clients and we work closely with other agencies to extend the range of opportunities on offer.

Services

Group work
Discussion of the social and emotional issues for young people in transition to independence, the challenges when living independently. Acquiring practical skills e.g. budgeting, self care, cooking, DIY etc.

Drop-In
Weekly problem-solving, multi-agency, advice and action session. A chance to look for work or courses on offer, write a CV or letter, use the telephone to sort something out, look up information on the Internet, discuss debt problems or look for accommodation.

Duty service
Weekdays 9am-5pm. At the Bexley Youth Advice Service (BYA) 233 The Broadway, Bexleyheath DA6 7EJ. A social worker is available for emergencies or more complex issues.

Resources

Supported lodgings
Local families offering a room in their home (meals if required) a friendly chat and support. The first step towards independence.

Supported housing
We are able to access a range of supported housing for Looked After Children who feel ready and are assessed as able to move on from foster care to semi independence prior to leaving care at 18.

Tenancy support
Any care leaver living in their own accommodation will continue to receive support form a personal advisor up until they are 21 or 24 if still in education. We can support care leavers to access additional support with managing their tenancy from Supporting People.

Education support
Packages of financial assistance for further and higher full-time education, including assistance with accommodation in college holidays and until aged 24, if needed.

Services offered by care leavers

Making links in Bexley

While the service works with a wide range and variety of external agencies, its closest links are with a number of key internal services committed to enhancing the life chances of care leavers. Listed below are some examples of what they offer.

Youth Service
Support to engage in social networks and gaining life skills. Accessing activities such as Duke of Edinburgh awards scheme .

Housing
Priority nomination for a tenancy is offered to every care leaver who has the skills to maintain themselves in a property.

Targeted Connexions service
A specialist careers advisor for every client. Available at drop-In for general advice, information and referral. Participation in leaving care planning meetings.

Apprenticeships
Support in accessing London Borough of Bexley apprentice opportunities.

Health services
Support in linking with health services including counselling or specialist CAMHS services.

How to access our service:

Contact your allocated social worker, our business office (details available in the right hand menu) or for duty service contact 020 8301 3900 or visit the BYA, 233 The Broadway, Bexleyheath, Kent DA6 7EJ.