Essex County Council

Care leavers do not receive priority for social housing

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

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

Details:
We will support care leavers to explore appropriate accommodation options, and if required will support as a guarantor in principle for up to a year.

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

Details:
This is discretionary.

Where a young person’s accommodation needs have been identified within the Pathway Plan as private rented accommodation (for example, where they have no access to social housing), there will usually be a requirement for the young person to pay a rent deposit and rent in advance.

Where there is a rent deposit guarantee scheme available in the area, the young person will be supported by their worker to access funding from this scheme. If other funding streams are not available to assist young people to secure privately rented accommodation, the Leaving and After Care Service may provide discretionary financial support with deposits, advance rents and fees where appropriate, to eligible, relevant and former relevant young people who require it.

Care leavers are provided with a setting up allowance

Allowance amount: £2000

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

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

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

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

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

Essex County Council will pay towards cooking equipment for care leavers

Essex County Council offers work experience within the council for care leavers

We are unable to confirm how many places per year

Essex County Council will pay for work/interview clothes

Essex County Council will pay towards travel to work or training

There are ringfenced apprenticeship vacancies for care leavers at Essex County Council

We have 3 Project Support Worker positions ringfenced for care leavers and all post as full. apprenticeship vacancies are ringfenced a year

Care leavers are working as apprenticeships within Essex County Council

Number per year: 3

Additional information about work and training:
ECC commits to interview all care leavers who meet the requirements of the role for which they apply.
We provide an annual career insight day in Care Leaver week in October.

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

Passport: Yes

Provisional Driving Licence: Yes

Birth Certificate: Yes

Essex County Council in principle will assist with driving lessons

Essex County Council in principle will assist with driving theory tests

Essex County Council in principle will assist with driving tests

Essex County Council in principle will assist with CBT tests

Partners local to Essex County 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 do not have the opportunity for mentoring with any of the senior leadership team

Essex County Council has a children in care and care leavers council

Details of council:
All children in care and care leavers belong to the Children in care Council and as such can gain support and opportunities for personal, social, emotional and relational skill development as well as opportunities to inform service review, design, development and commissioning and be involved in decisions which affect themselves and other in the care system through a menu of opportunities.

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:
We don’t have a constitution, but we have the model of engagement which was created by care leavers.

Essex County Council has peer mentors (other care leavers)

Essex County Council does not have other mentoring schemes

Details:
The Independent Visitor scheme is available to all Children in care and this is extended past 18 where appropriate.
The Children in Care Council staff offer support and mentoring to care leavers both in group situations and on a 1-2-1 basis where requested

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 care files
Young people who access their care files get emotional support throughout the process.

Details:
Care Leavers can access their records via their Personal Adviser, who will make a request with them. Mental Health Coordinators offer emotional support to care leavers when accessing their records, they can also signpost to other services should this be required.