Reading Borough Council

Care leavers receive priority for social housing

Priority is offered up to the age of: 21

Banding priority is: Band B

Additional information / how to qualify:
Priority is up to 21 or 1 year after higher education. Young people must be considered ready to manage a tenancy, they don’t need to do anything if their case is active, if their case is in active they need to contact CSPOA or the Leaving Care Team.

Care leavers get to practice independent living with taster flats

Reading Borough Council will not in principle assist as a guarantor for care leavers in private rented property

Details:
We do where this is required to assist access to accommodation but not a blanket offer.

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

Care leavers are provided with a setting up allowance

Allowance amount: £3,000

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

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

Reading Borough Council will not in principle assist with support to pay for redecoration costs of a care leavers first flat

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

Reading Borough Council will not in principle assist with support with mobile phone costs for care leavers

Reading Borough Council will pay towards cooking equipment for care leavers

Reading Borough Council offers work experience within the council for care leavers

We are unable to confirm how many places per year

Reading Borough Council will pay for work/interview clothes

Reading Borough Council will pay towards travel to work or training

There are ringfenced apprenticeship vacancies for care leavers at Reading Borough Council

We are unable to confirm how many are ringfenced a year

There are no care leavers working as apprenticeships within Reading Borough Council

Additional information about work and training:
There is a dedicated career advisor for all care leavers

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

Passport: Yes

Provisional Driving Licence: Yes

Birth Certificate: Yes

Reading Borough Council in principle will assist with driving lessons

Reading Borough Council in principle will assist with driving theory tests

Reading Borough Council will not in principle assist with driving tests

Reading Borough Council will not in principle assist with CBT tests

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

Reading Borough Council has a children in care and care leavers council

Details of council:
4 to 15
16 to 24
Number of attendees varies

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

Reading Borough Council has peer mentors (other care leavers)

Reading Borough Council does not have other mentoring schemes

Details:
Virtual School runs peer mentoring program

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:
Young people are encouraged to sit with their Personal Advisors to read through their records, this will determine whether more specialist support is required.