South Gloucestershire Council

Care leavers receive priority for social housing

Priority is offered up to the age of: 25

Banding priority is: A

Additional information / how to qualify:
To qualify Care leavers must be ready for independent living with no rent arrears (current or previous) no ASB and their HomeChoice application be activated by their PA/SW on HomeChoice.

Care leavers get to practice independent living with taster flats

Additional information:
There are two training flats, from the age of 16 children in care are encouraged to stay in these flats for periods of 3 weeks. Sometimes young people stay for periods between their placement and training flat before moving into independent living. The length of stay and use of the training flat vary between young people dependent on need. If a young person would like to find out more about staying within the training flat they should contact their PA.

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

Details:
We will act as a corporate guarantor once

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

Details:
We will support your move into independence and cover up to 6 weeks rent in advance and deposit.

Care leavers are provided with a setting up allowance

Allowance amount: £3000

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

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

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

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

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

South Gloucestershire Council will pay towards cooking equipment for care leavers

South Gloucestershire Council offers work experience within the council for care leavers

Number of places per year: 15 spaces per year on our Next Step programme. Work experience in the council with a job coach and follow on support once the placement has ended.

South Gloucestershire Council will pay for work/interview clothes

South Gloucestershire Council will pay towards travel to work or training

There are no ringfenced apprenticeship vacancies for care leavers at South Gloucestershire Council

Care leavers are working as apprenticeships within South Gloucestershire Council

Number per year: 1

Additional information about work and training:
Each Care Leaver has a personalised Education, Employment and/or Training Plan produced with their Personal Advisor, which is developed from their Pathway Plan. This is reviewed, updated and monitored on a monthly basis in collaboration with the Pathways Co-ordinator and Personal Advisor.

Care Leavers who aspire to go to University are supported by the Virtual School and Personal Advisor to locate the appropriate course, apply for it, attend Open days and the subsequent move on to University life and accommodation, via funding, personal support and partnership working with the Care Leaver leads in the appropriate University.

There is close partnership working between the Department for Work and Pensions and the Transition to Independence Team, ensuring that if Care Leavers do become unemployed, their benefit claims are submitted and processed as smoothly as possible and that Job Centre Work Coaches work alongside the Care Leaver and their Personal Advisor to offer the most suitable opportunities at that stage of their back to work journey.

We provide funding for any resources related to education, employment or training, e.g. laptops, mobile phone top ups, academic books, vocational equipment, each on an individual basis.

We work closely with and refer Care Leavers for one to one support to local organisations that specialise in education, employment or training. Their focus is not only on work and training, but also on well-being and addressing barriers to work or training which may not fall under the usual employment categories, such as mental health and forming routines and organisation of daily tasks

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

Passport: Yes

Provisional Driving Licence: Yes

Birth Certificate: Yes

South Gloucestershire Council in principle will assist with driving lessons

South Gloucestershire Council in principle will assist with driving theory tests

South Gloucestershire Council in principle will assist with driving tests

South Gloucestershire Council in principle will assist with CBT tests

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

Bus: Yes

Train / Tram: Unknown

Additional details:
West of England Combined Authority offer free bus travel for care leavers aged 18 to 25

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:
Young people on the Next Step programme have access to a senior mentor

South Gloucestershire Council has a children in care and care leavers council

Details of council:
There are two groups for children in care and Care Leavers to have their voice heard within the council outlined below.

Teen Care Council: This is a group for those aged 10-16 who are in care; the group is a consultation group, take part in small projects, meeting decision makers as well as interviews for new staff.

Experienced Panel in Care (EPIC): is for young people age 16-25 that are in Care or care leavers. This is a participation group involved in consultation, projects and working with senior

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

South Gloucestershire Council does not have peer mentors (other care leavers)

South Gloucestershire Council has other mentoring schemes

Details:
Our Participation Team support the Experienced Panel in Care (EPIC) – Who focus on listening to your experiences, challenging stigma, and improving things for other young people.

In South Glos we have our own
mentoring service called Breakthrough
Mentoring which you can access via
your Social Worker or Personal Advisor.

Reconstruct provide advocacy (and
mentoring) for care leavers in South
Glos. They can also support you if
you wish to submit formal feedback
(compliments, comments, and
complaints) contact details are in the
‘Useful contacts’ section.

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:
If a young person is still within service it is encouraged that their worker or a trusted adult supports them in relation to accessing their files and provides emotional support.

If a young person has left the service a member of the team will support them with the disclosure and provide signposting to other services which may be able to support them

We have streamlined the process. Young people will first receive important documents from their records (court docs, plans, reviews). They can then request further information about a specific time whilst in care.