Bury Council

Care leavers receive priority for social housing

Priority is offered up to the age of: 21

Banding priority is: Band 1

Additional information / how to qualify:
We have close relationships with housing and at the point when our young people are ready to move on provide the required evidence of ‘care leaver status’. We also have a Tenancy Sustainment Worker who is based on our team, seconded from Six Town Housing (RSL in Bury who are commissioned to manage social housing stock) who can support and advocate. We are in the process of up-dating the existing Protocol with Housing.

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

Bury Council in principle will assist as a guarantor for care leavers in private rented property

Details:
We have only acted as a ‘guarantor’ on 1 occasion where the YP has been assessed as ‘intentionally homeless’ but this was some years ago (he’s now 22). We have Housing agreement that they will not enforce an ‘intentional homeless’ decision for our young people up to the age of 21. This coupled with a strong commitment from housing and our commissioning a Tenancy Sustainment Worker (detailed above) has meant we are only infrequently in a position to have to access privately rented accommodation for our young people, especially given the challenges around affordability within the Borough.

Bury Council in principle will assist with providing a deposit for care leavers in private rented property

Details:
Please see above- we also have some young people who live outside of our geographical area so would always consider on an individual basis in line with their needs and circumstances. We would then need to explore if this was paid from ‘setting up home allowance’ or otherwise.

Care leavers are provided with a setting up allowance

Allowance amount: ££3000

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

Bury Council in principle will assist with support to pay at least the first year home contents insurance for care leavers

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

Bury Council will not in principle assist with support with broadband costs for care leavers

Bury Council in principle will assist with support with mobile phone costs for care leavers

Bury Council will pay towards cooking equipment for care leavers

Bury Council offers work experience within the council for care leavers

Number of places per year: Every Request is met with an offer

Bury Council will pay for work/interview clothes

Bury Council will pay towards travel to work or training

There are ringfenced apprenticeship vacancies for care leavers at Bury Council

Early application and interview along with associated preparation support in place and offered prior to this being advertised widely. apprenticeship vacancies are ringfenced a year

Care leavers are working as apprenticeships within Bury Council

Number per year: 10

Additional information about work and training:
The project we operate ensures that the LA and partners are meeting their corporate parenting responsibility which involves support at every stage of the recruitment process including access to opportunities (at various levels)  for our care leavers before the general public.

Bury Council will ensure each young person has ID documents when they leave care

Passport: Yes

Provisional Driving Licence: Yes

Birth Certificate: Yes

Bury Council in principle will assist with driving lessons

Bury Council in principle will assist with driving theory tests

Bury Council in principle will assist with driving tests

Bury Council in principle will assist with CBT tests

Partners local to Bury Council offer support with free travel for care leavers

Bus: Yes

Train / Tram: No

Additional details:
Transport for Greater Manchester will offer free bus travel for our young people up to the age of 21- they can apply online and I receive an email to verify their details. PA’s also support the YP to complete.

Princes Trust will also offer bus passes for our young people 21+ which is a monthly pass but this is focused on those who are working around getting into employment or training.

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

Care leavers do not have the opportunity for mentoring with any of the senior leadership team

Additional details:
Corporate Parenting Board will have YP and children in care attend with support from participation workers/ children’s rights.

No current formal opportunities for mentoring in place but historically this would be on a needs led basis and has been the offer of sessions- as an example a young person on a Higher Education Law Degree met with Legal Services.

Bury Council has a children in care and care leavers council

Details of council:
Figures can be variable and we have had a dip in attendance as all sessions are delivered virtually and none of the opportunities for food and catch up that would have previously been in place.

Children in care and care leavers council does not have its own bank account

Children in care and care leavers council has its own constitution

Details:
Constituted Group is in place which oversees access to the CL Fund- management and coordination of this sits within the Youth Service.

Bury Council does not have peer mentors (other care leavers)

Bury Council does not have other mentoring schemes

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:
Access to records request for young people who have been formerly looked after is sent to the ‘Senior Administration Support Worker (Information) based within Strategy and Commissioning.

Access to records promoted by PA offered to the young person, usually by the last allocated PA if this is beyond the time when the YP is engaged with the service.