Suffolk County Council

Care leavers do not receive priority for social housing

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

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

Details:
For those in university only.

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

Details:
We will contribute towards deposits if assessed as suitable accommodation and will also approach charitable funding to support with this.

Care leavers are provided with a setting up allowance

Allowance amount: £1750

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

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

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

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

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

Suffolk County Council will pay towards cooking equipment for care leavers

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

Number of places per year: A new strategy called “The Family Business” is currently being developed to encourage the LA’s and districts and boroughs to offer rolling annual opportunities to care leavers. October 2021 start.

Suffolk County Council will pay for work/interview clothes

Suffolk County Council will pay towards travel to work or training

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

5 apprenticeship vacancies are ringfenced a year

Care leavers are working as apprenticeships within Suffolk County Council

Number per year: 3

Additional information about work and training:
The Virtual School chair an EET Panel that is held bi-monthly for the South Leaving Care team, and a separate combined North and West panel. By meeting every 8 weeks, this panel of relevant stakeholders from various services in Suffolk can provide advice and guidance to workers and give them the tools they need to move NEET young people forward. These actions are then followed up at the midway point (4 weeks later) and revisited at the subsequent panel for that particular team where necessary.

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

Passport: Yes

Provisional Driving Licence: Yes

Birth Certificate: Yes

Suffolk County Council will not in principle assist with driving lessons

Suffolk County Council will not in principle assist with driving theory tests

Suffolk County Council will not in principle assist with driving tests

Suffolk County Council in principle will assist with CBT tests

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

Additional details:
We have a Chat to Change group which is drawn from care leavers and children in care which meet with the corporate parenting board on a regular basis.

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

Details of council:
We have a C2C (CiC and Care Leavers council) and the Our Voice group for care leavers.
C2C meets monthly and the Our voice group is just starting again after a short break. This group will also meet monthly and both have representation from care leavers and CiC across the county.

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

Children in care and care leavers council does not have its own constitution

Suffolk County Council does not have peer mentors (other care leavers)

Suffolk County Council has other mentoring schemes

Details:
We support care leavers through the Grand Mentoring scheme which offers one to one support for care leavers who feel they would benefit from this. This service is currently open to care leavers in the South of the county at present but hoping to develop further mentoring programs across the county.

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:
Care leavers are offered support from their YPA when they request to review their files and at any time through this process if they want it. If care leavers wish for support from other professionals, we will also follow this up and support them to contact the person they feel is best suited to support them.