Dorset Council

Care leavers receive priority for social housing

Priority is offered up to the age of: 25

Banding priority is: B

Additional information / how to qualify:
Limited social housing in the Council. They are able to join the housing register and are supported to bid on properties.

Care leavers get to practice independent living with taster flats

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

Details:
Mainly provided for students in HE with short term tenancies.

We can also assist care leavers to use guarantor schemes and can make payments towards the costs of these.

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

Details:
Both for a private rented property and for local authority housing which requires a rent in advance/ deposit

Care leavers are provided with a setting up allowance

Allowance amount: ££3000 for care leavers who turned 18 after April 2023, £2000 for those who were 18 prior to this date

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

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

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

Dorset Council in principle will assist with support with broadband costs for care leavers

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

Dorset Council will pay towards cooking equipment for care leavers

Dorset Council offers work experience within the council for care leavers

Number of places per year: There is no limit

Dorset Council will pay for work/interview clothes

Dorset Council will pay towards travel to work or training

There are ringfenced apprenticeship vacancies for care leavers at Dorset Council

1 apprenticeship vacancy is ringfenced a year

Care leavers are working as apprenticeships within Dorset Council

Number per year: 2 3 FT apprenticeships, 10 part-time.

Additional information about work and training:
Links with local businesses to offer apprenticeship
Access to council jobs and training -automatic interview if person spec is met.

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

Passport: Yes

Provisional Driving Licence: Yes

Birth Certificate: Yes

Dorset Council in principle will assist with driving lessons

Dorset Council in principle will assist with driving theory tests

Dorset Council in principle will assist with driving tests

Dorset Council in principle will assist with CBT tests

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

Bus: Unknown

Train / Tram: Unknown

Additional details:
Friends of Dorset Care Leavers had some post Covid funding which helped with the cost of public transport and driving lessons.

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:
Peer landlords are mentored by senior leaders. Care leavers can also take part in the annual Takeover Challenge.

Dorset Council has a children in care and care leavers council

Details of council:
This various from session to session. Children and young people aged 0-25 are included in a variety of activities and sessions. Ranges from 5 to 25.

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

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

Details:
Dorset is interested to hear if other local authorities do this?

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

Dorset 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:
We offer the Rees Foundation access to records package of support for all care leavers making an access for records request