Personal Advisors (or PAs) act as your main point of contact with the Leaving Care Service and will provide support to help you make a successful transition to adulthood.
- When you are 17 you will be allocated a named PA from the Leaving Care Team. All Care Leavers should know who their PA is and how to contact them.
- You have the right to PA support up to the age of 25.
- The role of a PA is to help prepare for independent living and to support you after you leave care.
- The PA will work alongside your Social Worker and will be able to assist you in preparing for your life transition to adult life.
- PAs are responsible for ensuring that your Pathway Plan is developed and kept up to date until you reach 21.
- Where possible, we will try and ensure that Care Leavers build Trusted Persons and keep the same PA until the age of 21, or beyond if necessary because we know that relationships are important.
- Until you reach 21, your PA will see you at least once every two months and keep in touch with you between visits.
If you are a Child Looked After and have specific, identified additional needs your Social Worker will support your transition to Adult Social Care. Your PA will take over responsibility for the preparation of your Pathway Plan when you leave care at 18 and will work alongside adult social care if required.
Pathway Plan
We develop a Pathway Plan with you to help your transition from care to living independently.
- Your Social Worker will start developing the Pathway Plan while you are still in care – within three months around your 16th Birthday.
- The Pathway Plan sets out how we will help you to achieve the things you want to do.
- You will be fully involved in preparing and reviewing the Pathway Plan – it is your plan.
- We must review your Pathway Plan with you at least every six months until you reach 21.
- In your Pathway Plan we will include information on education, training, employment, wellbeing, accommodation, family and social relationships, finance, mental and physical health, self-care skills and identity.
It is important that you talk to your PA about any needs or aspiration you have, and that they are included in your Pathway Plan.
Our Pledge To You – produced by the Children In Care Council
These are the promises that the council and children and young people agreed upon:
- We will give you a safe and comfy home.
- We will help you do well in school.
- We will listen to you and involve you in choices about your life and support the Children in care council.
- We will make sure the adults who care for you are kind and helpful.
- We will help you stay healthy.
- We will give you chances to try work experience and learn new skills as you get older.
- We will help you keep photos and memories from your time in care.
- We will make sure you can get help and advice from Children and Young people’s right’s service when you need it.
- We will help you see your family and friends if it is safe for you.
- We will help you join in fun and positive activities.
- We will celebrate the good things you do every year.
- We will have a big meeting each year so adults can learn how to help you better.
- We will always treat you with respect and ask, “Is this good enough for my own child?”