Our care leavers offer

Just because you are leaving care, or have already left care, we haven’t stopped caring about you. We want to make sure that you feel safe and supported and know where and who to go to for advice and help.  Our Care Leaver Offer describes all the support available to Care Experienced young people.

To be able to get the support described in this offer you must have been in care for at least 13 weeks between the ages of 14 and 16 (including your 16th birthday) or for 13 weeks after your 16th birthday.

The support we must give care leavers by law

A Leaving Care Support Officer (LCSO) 

An LCSO is there to help you to prepare to live independently and to offer advice and support after you leave care. We try to let you keep the same personal adviser, though this will not always be possible. The amount of support that you receive from your LCSO personal adviser will depend on what support you would like and your circumstances. We also understand that you may not wish to receive support from us.

You are able to ask to have support from an LCSO up to the age of 25 whether you are in education/training or not.

Your pathway plan supports your independence into adulthood which outlines your needs, views and future goals and sets out what support you will receive from us to achieve them.

Under your extended offer you can continue to contact us for help and advice as many times as you need to up to your 25th birthday.

Care leavers right to be heard and taken seriously

You have a right to be involved in all decisions about your plans for leaving care. You have a right to support from an independent advocate if you are thinking about challenging decisions about the care, we give you.

Independent advocates can inform you about your rights and help you to be heard in meetings. They are separate from your social worker or leaving care support officer. 

Contact the National Youth Advocacy Service

You have a right to see the information we keep about you, including the files and records written about you when you were in care. We will help you to understand your care history and early family life if this is what you want.

Leaving care before turning 18

We will encourage you to stay in care until you are 18.  Most young people still live at home with their families at this age.  If you choose to leave care before age 18, the law says we must provide you with suitable accommodation.

Accommodation and housing

If you are aged over 18, your LCSO will help you to find suitable accommodation. This might involve:

• access to specialist housing support through Your Homes Newcastle (YHN) Young People Service (YPS)
• support to discuss ‘staying put’ with your foster carer, which can last until you’re 21
• exploring other housing options such as ‘supported lodgings’ in someone’s home in the community to help you to develop independent living skills
• support for you to move in and set up your new home
• Supportive housing options if you’re moving from residential care with the Staying Close Project.
• Advice and guidance to help make your tenancy a success and support if things aren’t working out
• Support you to claim universal credit with housing costs to pay for your accommodation
• Care leaver priority banding on your Newcastle housing application
• Emotional support when moving home
• Paying for your university accommodation (up to £135 per week)
• We will support you if things don’t go to plan in your home.

Council Tax discount for care leavers

If you are a care leaver aged under 25 who is paying council tax or living with someone who pays council tax, we may be able to reduce the amount of council tax you pay.

To qualify for a reduction, you must be:

• a care leaver under 25 years old
• named on the council tax bill

The reduction can only be paid up to your 25th birthday. For more information see:

• care leavers reduction

Education, work and training

We want to make sure every care experienced young person has the support to achieve their goals in life.

We will offer you:

• support to access education, employment and training opportunities, along with providing information on opportunities specifically for Care Experienced young people.
• Higher education support package if you start your course before you’re 21st birthday including:
• £2000 bursary paid over 3 years of your higher education to help with the cost of books and equipment
• We have links with Connexions, Skills HUB and many other providers who can offer specialist information, advice, and guidance.
• Working together with student services and support staff at college/University.
• Support applying for university and student finance to cover your course fees and living costs
• Support finding student accommodation during term time and holidays
• Paying for your university accommodation (up to £135 per week)
• Help to access college bursaries and other college funds.
• Financial support to attend interviews
• Support to buy tools, equipment, essential clothing, and books.
• Support to apply for the £3000 apprenticeship bursary paid in instalments over the first year of the apprenticeship.
• Possibility of applying for a laptop to help with college or University.
• Support you to write CV’s and personal statements etc.
• Opportunities for, apprenticeships, traineeships, and employment within the council or with our partners with a guaranteed interview.

Health and wellbeing

Our care leaving team and Leaving Care Support Officers can support you to stay healthy and look after your physical, emotional and mental health.

We will:

• support you to register with a GP, dentist or optician
• support you to attend appointment as and when required
• support to access drug and alcohol services (NTAR)
• support accessing community health services including adult mental health and counselling services
• give you help with transport costs when attending health appointments
• help to support you with your own children including finding suitable childcare
• offer of subsidised gym membership for those aged 16-21
• help you accessing your healthcare records from children’s social care  
• emotional support developing relationships with those close to you including family members and support learning about your family
• offer to request records and emotional support throughout the process

My Money

We can offer financial support to help you in your independence to adulthood.  

Our help includes:

• providing you with £3,000 leaving care grant to set up your new home
• support to open a bank account.
• help to access your junior ISA account
• support to obtain photographic identification such as passport and provisional driving licence
• providing you with equivalent Universal Credit payments whilst your claim is being set up
• support you to access financial support in an emergency such as if you are struggling with your energy bills
• making applications on your behalf to partnership charity grants to fund driving lessons, achieve aspirations and in times of financial hardship
• applying for an all-zone travel pass to help you stay connected and independence

Family and social relationships

Your Leaving Care Support Officer can offer you additional practical and emotional support around your relationships.

• Prior to leaving care, our Family Group Conference service will support you in preparation for moving into independence by holding a support network meeting
• This could help to maintain or regain contact with people special to you or who cared for you in the past, like former foster carers
• Supporting you to access an independent advocate
• Where appropriate, continuing to support contact with the 'Independent Visitor' you had while you were in care
• To receive help and advice on positive relationships
• Give advice and guidance in relation to Sexual health and healthy relationships
• Support to attend sexual health services to obtain contraception to lead a healthy lifestyle

Participation in society and life skills

We want our care leavers to be active members of society, and to have all the chances in life that other young adults have.

We can help you participate in society in the following ways and to help you develop life skills for independent living.

• Being part of our ‘Life Experience Group’ to develop the service for future care leavers.
• Social events for Care Experienced young people with the opportunity to help arrange the event.
• Support to celebrate cultural and religious festivals.
• Support you to explore any interests or hobbies you may have within your community.
• Offer of subsidised gym membership for those aged 16-21
• Support you to enrol on the on the Electoral Register, so you can vote in elections.
• Giving you advice to support you through any challenges you might face or if you feel discriminated against as a care Experienced young person.
• We can make applications on your behalf to partnership charity grants to fund driving lessons, theory tests and practical tests or to achieve aspirations and in times of financial hardship.
• Volunteering opportunities
• Opportunities to attend Regional and National planning Forums.
• Budgeting support and help to set up accounts and direct debits.
• Support in dealing with the Police and Criminal Justice system and practical help attending appointments. 

Signposting

Many other organisations and services offer help, including:

• Newcastle Support Directory - a directory of services for Children and Young People, including support services, sports and leisure opportunities, clubs and societies.

• Sexual Health help and advice services

• Change, Live, Grow (Young people’s Services) https://www.changegrowlive.org/. - support for under 25’s around substance misuse and treatment, emotional wellbeing, offending and advocacy

• Newcastle Citizens Advice Bureau - Citizens Advice Newcastle - Citizens Advice Newcastle (citizensadvice-newcastle.org.uk) 

• Money Matters - Money Matters | Newcastle Support Directory 

• Community Hubs - Community Centres and Hubs - Information Now

• Food Banks Newcastle - Food banks and free emergency food in Newcastle - Information Now

• Street Wise - Streetwise Young People's Project (streetwisenorth.org.uk) 

• Children's Commissioner - a useful guide to supporting children in higher education