Richmond upon Thames

Care leavers receive priority for social housing

Priority is offered up to the age of: 18

Banding priority is: B

Additional information / how to qualify:
Accommodation needs should be discussed as part of a Pathway Plan Review. Once it is agreed that a young person is independent enough for permanent accommodation and able to sustain a tenancy, the leaving care worker will complete a referral form to the Housing Department and attach a supporting letter, proof if ID, proof of income and most recent bank statement.

Care leavers get to practice independent living with taster flats

Additional information:
Young people reside in trainee flats for up to 2 years. Young people are liable to pay the rent and all the utility bills. The flats vary from 1-3 bed properties across Richmond and Kingston boroughs. Each young person will have an allocated outreach worker who will support them at least 5 hours per week to gain good independent skills and sustain the license agreement.

Richmond upon Thames in principle will assist as a guarantor for care leavers in private rented property

Details:
6 months rent is paid upfront to the landlord once agreed by the senior leadership team, mainly for university students.

Richmond upon Thames in principle will assist with providing a deposit for care leavers in private rented property

Details:
Young people can use their leaving care grant / setting up home allowance as a deposit for a furnished property in the private sector.

Care leavers are provided with a setting up allowance

Allowance amount: £2000

Richmond upon Thames in principle will assist with support to pay at least the first year TV licence for care leavers

Richmond upon Thames in principle will assist with support to pay at least the first year home contents insurance for care leavers

Richmond upon Thames in principle will assist with support to pay for redecoration costs of a care leavers first flat

Richmond upon Thames in principle will assist with support with broadband costs for care leavers

Richmond upon Thames in principle will assist with support with mobile phone costs for care leavers

Richmond upon Thames will pay towards cooking equipment for care leavers

Richmond upon Thames offers work experience within the council for care leavers

Number of places per year: Unlimited

Richmond upon Thames will pay for work/interview clothes

Richmond upon Thames will pay towards travel to work or training

There are ringfenced apprenticeship vacancies for care leavers at Richmond upon Thames

Unlimited apprenticeship vacancies are ringfenced a year

There are no care leavers working as apprenticeships within Richmond upon Thames

Richmond upon Thames will ensure each young person has ID documents when they leave care

Passport: Yes

Provisional Driving Licence: Yes

Birth Certificate: Yes

Richmond upon Thames in principle will assist with driving lessons

Richmond upon Thames will not in principle assist with driving theory tests

Richmond upon Thames will not in principle assist with driving tests

Richmond upon Thames will not in principle assist with CBT tests

Partners local to Richmond upon Thames 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:
There are regular meetings between the senior leadership team and care leavers through the Children in Care Council or by arrangement with the Leaving Care Service.

Richmond upon Thames has a children in care and care leavers council

Details of council:
14 children and young people attend the Children In Care Council between ages 10 - 25

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:
CiCC handbook with clear principles
A clear election protocol and job descriptions

Richmond upon Thames has peer mentors (other care leavers)

Richmond upon Thames has other mentoring schemes

Details:
We recognise how important making friends and developing relationships is to your overall wellbeing. As well as support from a Social Worker or Personal Adviser, we may be able to offer you additional practical and emotional support, such as:

Providing you with a mentor/peer mentor
Where appropriate, continuing to support contact with the ‘Independent Visitor’ you had while you were in care;
Helping to maintain or regain contact with people special to you or who cared for you in the past, like former foster carers or keyworkers
Providing you with information about regular groups that take place within the service, where you can meet and mix with other care leavers (please see participation for further details)

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:
From the Leaving Care Team, Business Support Team and placement.