Sheffield City Council

Care leavers receive priority for social housing

Priority is offered up to the age of: 25

Banding priority is: Band C

Additional information / how to qualify:
Care Leavers receive priority banding and their PA helps them to complete any applications. There is a good working relationship between the Housing services and the Leaving Care service.

Care leavers get to practice independent living with taster flats

Additional information:
Sheffield currently has one staying close flat this is currently being extended with the purchase of additional flats and a commissioned conversion of a property into six individual flats.

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

Details:
This does happen on an individual basis and often for Care Leavers attending university.

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

Details:
This does happen on an individual basis and often for Care Leavers attending university.

Care leavers are provided with a setting up allowance

Allowance amount: ££2000

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

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

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

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

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

Sheffield City Council will pay towards cooking equipment for care leavers

Sheffield City Council offers work experience within the council for care leavers

Number of places per year: As & when requested

Sheffield City Council will pay for work/interview clothes

Sheffield City Council will pay towards travel to work or training

There are ringfenced apprenticeship vacancies for care leavers at Sheffield City Council

16 currently apprenticeship vacancies are ringfenced a year

Care leavers are working as apprenticeships within Sheffield City Council

Number per year: 16 currently

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

Passport: Yes

Provisional Driving Licence: Yes

Birth Certificate: Yes

Sheffield City Council in principle will assist with driving lessons

Sheffield City Council in principle will assist with driving theory tests

Sheffield City Council in principle will assist with driving tests

Sheffield City Council in principle will assist with CBT tests

Partners local to Sheffield City 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 have the opportunity for mentoring with any of the senior leadership team

Additional details:
This is on an individual basis and tailored to the needs of the young person.

Sheffield City Council has a children in care and care leavers council

Details of council:
Children’s involvement team run a number of groups for a variety of age groups and the Sheffield Care Leavers Union also run groups and are included in the interviewing of staff etc. These groups are also involved in consultation about what services they would like and input into these through scrutiny panels etc.

Children in care and care leavers council has its own bank account

Children in care and care leavers council has its own constitution

Details:
Information can be obtained from [email protected]

Sheffield City Council has peer mentors (other care leavers)

Sheffield City Council has other mentoring schemes

Details:
Mentoring support is part of the offer from the Care Leavers Union and Children in Care Council.

Young people 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:
PA’s have undergone training for support whilst Care Leaver is accessing their files, we also use outside agency support depending on what the need of the individual Care Leaver is to make the required support specific to them.