Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

Care leavers receive priority for social housing

Priority is offered up to the age of: 25

Banding priority is: 1

Additional information / how to qualify:
Leaving Care team have an accommodation strategy joint with Housing

Care leavers do not get to practice independent living with taster flats

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council in principle will assist as a guarantor for care leavers in private rented property

Details:
This depends on the young person’s needs

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council in principle will assist with providing a deposit for care leavers in private rented property

Details:
Your Personal Assistant will support and complete finance forms for the amount of a month's deposit and pay directly to the landlord

Care leavers are provided with a setting up allowance

Allowance amount: £A £50 moving allowance will be given to you to set up your accommodation on the day you move - if you are eligible, you will be entitled to a Leaving Care grant of £2,000 that will need to last until you are age 25 and this is to buy furniture and items f

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council in principle will assist with support to pay at least the first year TV licence for care leavers

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council will not in principle assist with support to pay at least the first year home contents insurance for care leavers

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council in principle will assist with support to pay for redecoration costs of a care leavers first flat

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council will not in principle assist with support with broadband costs for care leavers

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council in principle will assist with support with mobile phone costs for care leavers

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council will pay towards cooking equipment for care leavers

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council offers work experience within the council for care leavers

Number of places per year: No limits on the number of placements

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council will pay for work/interview clothes

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council will pay towards travel to work or training

There are no ringfenced apprenticeship vacancies for care leavers at Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

There are no care leavers working as apprenticeships within Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council will ensure each young person has ID documents when they leave care

Passport: Yes

Provisional Driving Licence: Yes

Birth Certificate: Yes

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council in principle will assist with driving lessons

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council in principle will assist with driving theory tests

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council in principle will assist with driving tests

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council in principle will assist with CBT tests

Partners local to Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council do not offer support with free travel for care leavers

Care leavers have the opportunity to meet with their corporate parents (councillors)

Care leavers have the opportunity for mentoring with any of the senior leadership team

Additional details:
Two care leavers attend all corporate parenting sessions

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council has a children in care and care leavers council

Details of council:
3 groups - Care Leavers
CIOC have 2 groups 12- 16 and under 12s

Children in care and care leavers council has its own bank account

Children in care and care leavers council does not have its own constitution

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council does not have peer mentors (other care leavers)

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council does not have other mentoring schemes

Details:
We are looking at this alongside apprenticeships

Young people do not have to go through the complaints dept to access their care files

Young people who access their care files get emotional support before, during and after disclosure

Details:
We always discuss the support needed with the PA