Sunderland City Council

Care leavers receive priority for social housing

Priority is offered up to the age of: 25

Banding priority is: Band 2

Additional information / how to qualify:
The young person needs to be a care experienced young person to qualify.

Care leavers get to practice independent living with taster flats

Additional information:
Once a young person has demonstrated confidence in their independent skills, they can move on to a trainer flat. They will be offered outreach support from their key worker, they had in semi independence home.

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

Details:
This does not happen very often, only under exceptional circumstances.

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

Details:
This will be considered on an individual basis.

Care leavers are provided with a setting up allowance

Allowance amount: £Up to £2,195

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

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

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

Sunderland City Council will not in principle assist with support with broadband costs for care leavers

Sunderland City Council will not in principle assist with support with mobile phone costs for care leavers

Sunderland City Council will pay towards cooking equipment for care leavers

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

We are unable to confirm how many places per year

Sunderland City Council will pay for work/interview clothes

Sunderland City Council will pay towards travel to work or training

There are no ringfenced apprenticeship vacancies for care leavers at Sunderland City Council

Care leavers are working as apprenticeships within Sunderland City Council

Number per year: 2

Additional information about work and training:
Care experienced young people are guaranteed an interview.

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

Passport: Yes

Provisional Driving Licence: Yes

Birth Certificate: Yes

Sunderland City Council in principle will assist with driving lessons

Sunderland City Council in principle will assist with driving theory tests

Sunderland City Council in principle will assist with driving tests

Sunderland City Council in principle will assist with CBT tests

Partners local to Sunderland City Council offer support with free travel for care leavers

Bus: Yes

Train / Tram: No

Additional details:
All Zone Bus Pass £68.00 Per Four Weeks with ‘Go North East –Nexus’.

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 attend the corporate parenting board.

Director of Children’s Services on a regular basis, Chief Executive and Early Help. If our young people were interested in their roles, this is arranged on an individual basis.

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

Details of council:
There are two groups, one for younger and one for older young people, where they are encouraged to give advice on new policies and policy updates etc.

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

Sunderland City Council has peer mentors (other care leavers)

Sunderland City Council has other mentoring schemes

Details:
With local drug and alcohol team and youth offending service.

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:
They can speak to their PA/SW and can be supported to access other services. Staff can also book in a 1:1 with our consultant psychologist for guidance around this.