Children and Young People's Services
Children’s Placements Service
Leaving Care Service
Who can use this service?
- Young people who will be leaving the care of London Borough of Bexley.
- Some Bexley residents who have recently been staying in a residential
establishment e.g Hospital/School etc.
- Clients are 16 to 21 years (or up to 23 if still in full time education).
What do we do?
Preparation for an independent and successful adult life and providing direct
support to achieve it.
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 clients 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. The plan sets goals, up to 5 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.
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 9-5. A social worker is available for emergencies
or more complex issues.
SOVA Mentors
Trained volunteers with life skills and experience. Prepared
to help and support care leavers to achieve a task-centred goal. From help
to get a job interview to ensuring you get there on time - looking right.
Resources:
Assisted Lodgings
Local families offering a room in their home (meals if required)
a friendly chat and help if asked for. The first step towards independence.
Shared Houses
A Hyde Housing Association Scheme. Two young people of the
same sex, renting and sharing a small house in the borough. Learning to pay
bills, eat properly, manage spare time and get along with each other and
the neighbours!
Tenancy Support
Any care leaver in their own accommodation can continue to
rely on the support of their Social Worker and the team's Housing Support
Worker. There is also a furniture and fittings grant.
Young people with complex needs can be housed in voluntary sector accommodation
with direct support on the premises in addition to our own services.
Education Support
Packages of financial for further and higher full-time education,
including assistance with accommodation in college holidays and until aged
23, if needed.
Services offered by Care Leavers:
Newsletter
Care leavers produce and/or contribute to their own quarterly
newsletter. Full of items of interest to anyone in care in Bexley. Also read
by workers and managers in the department - to find out what their clients
really think!
Forum
A Children's Care Forum and a Peer Mentoring Scheme also meets.
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
Free membership of all Youth Service facilities in the borough.
Staffing for Drop-In and other group work.
Priority access to places on the Prince's Trust Volunteers preparation for
employment scheme.
Housing
Priority nomination for a tenancy is offered to every care
leaver who has the skills to maintain themselves in a property.
"Prospects" Careers Service
An individual Careers Advisor for every client. Staff available
at Drop-In for general advice, information and referral. Participation in
leaving care planning meetings.
Work Experience
London Borough of Bexley work experience "taster days" for
care leavers. An opportunity to see local government in action, from the
inside. This is a new venture. If it is successful, we hope to make it a
regular event.
How to access our service:
Call us on 01322 356475, 9-5, Mon-Fri, for
a discussion with the Duty Social Worker or e-mail us at leavingcare@bexley.gov.uk. |
