Wolverhampton City Council

Care leavers receive priority for social housing

Priority is offered up to the age of: 25

Banding priority is: Band 1

Additional information / how to qualify:
Young people get priority banding if they can demonstrate independence skills and readiness to move on through a move on grid that is completed with YPA. YPA will then support with an housing application.

Care leavers get to practice independent living with taster flats

Additional information:
In Wolverhampton we have two training flats where young people can stay up to two weeks with the support of a housing support worker. Their independence skills are assessed by a Housing Support Worker

Wolverhampton City Council will not in principle assist as a guarantor for care leavers in private rented property

Wolverhampton City Council will not in principle assist with providing a deposit for care leavers in private rented property

Care leavers are provided with a setting up allowance

Allowance amount: ££2000

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

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

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

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

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

Wolverhampton City Council will pay towards cooking equipment for care leavers

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

Number of places per year: There is no upper limit on offering work experience placements

Wolverhampton City Council will pay for work/interview clothes

Wolverhampton City Council will pay towards travel to work or training

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

4 apprenticeship vacancies are ringfenced a year

Care leavers are working as apprenticeships within Wolverhampton City Council

Number per year: 3

Additional information about work and training:
• You can get information, support and guidance in applying for a place in Higher Education. You can receive support when you are there, and advice when you are ready to leave.

• If you attend university either locally or nationally, you will be entitled to a bursary to support you financially

• You can get support on post-graduation career planning. (Additional Help Offered)

• We will offer you financial assistance whilst at university, which includes support with travel, accommodation and academic books. (Additional Help Offered)

• You can get support from the Education Employment and Training (EET) Coordinator offering information advice and guidance on accessing education training and employment. This includes help with career planning and support with accessing funding. (Additional Help Offered)

• You can attend a weekly drop in session at The Way every Friday afternoon and individual appointments are also available for career advice and support. (Additional Help Offered)

• You can get support to ensure you have appropriate clothing for interviews. (Additional Help Offered)

• You will have a post 16 Personal Education Plans (PEP) whilst you are still looked after and in education, employment and training

• You can receive a post 16 PEP as a care leaver to help support you with your employment, education or training. (Additional Help Offered)

• We can provide you with help and support in accessing work experience

• You can get support from Connexions, who provide careers advice and support to young people aged 13-19, and up to age 25 if you have an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP)

• If you’re not in education, employment or in training you can get additional support to help you. This can include support from Impact, who will help you to access support to get into education, training and employment

• When ready for work you can get support from a work coach from Wolves@Work. (Additional Help Offered)

• You can find out about opportunities on getting into work through the website WorkBox http://www.wolvesworkbox.com/  here you will find The City of Wolverhampton Council multiple apprenticeship opportunities available to you. (Additional Help Offered)

• As a care leaver you will be guaranteed an interview for any apprenticeship you apply for. (Additional Help Offered)

• You can access support with interview techniques through the EET coordinator and you can participate in a mock interview that will be related to the position you are applying for. (Additional Help Offered)

• Wolverhampton Homes offer 5 apprenticeships opportunities per year to care leavers. (Additional Help Offered)

• The Children and Young People’s Service, offer 3 work opportunities per year to care leavers. (Additional Help Offered) this has increased to 4 for 2021

• You will receive a £1000 bursary when undertaking an apprenticeship

• You can get financial support with travel, clothes and equipment when starting work

• You can access free dry-cleaning services through Timpson’s to help you to prepare for interviews. (Additional Help Offered)

• You can access a 50% discount on transport on most Network West Midlands travel passes, and National Express travel passes for up to three months when you start a new job. (Additional Help Offered)

• You can access a 16-18 photocard which entitles all 16-18-year olds to buy child rate tickets for travel on the bus, train and tram. The 16-18 photocard is available to those in full-time education, apprentices, trainees and those in employment. (Additional Help Offered)

• You could be entitled to an English National Concessionary Pass which gives those of you who are registered disabled, free travel by bus anywhere in England during 'off-peak' from Monday to Friday

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

Passport: Yes

Provisional Driving Licence: Yes

Birth Certificate: Yes

Wolverhampton City Council will not in principle assist with driving lessons

Wolverhampton City Council in principle will assist with driving theory tests

Wolverhampton City Council will not in principle assist with driving tests

Wolverhampton City Council will not in principle assist with CBT tests

Partners local to Wolverhampton 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:
Care leavers have the opportunity to attend the Corporate Parenting board and can invite their Corporate Parents to their meetings.

A scheme has been piloted with a small cohort of Care Leavers proved successful and now being extended due to the success. Care Leavers involved in the scheme met on a regular basis with their senior leaders who advised and guided them through their career path. The success of the program was due to senior leaders volunteering and being supported with training to understand Children and young people in care.

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

Details of council:
[email protected]

CiCC – 11-18 = 19 young people- 6 members currently attending meetings regularly

The group meet twice a month one meeting is open for professionals to come and speak with the group the other meeting gives the group time to work on pieces of work they feel are important.

The group visit the corporate parenting board once a year and regularly contribute to the workforce through young person’s panels. Members of the group are also part of our other youth voice groups in the city including the youth council and deliver Total Respect Training. The group have continued to meet fortnightly during the pandemic virtually

Care Leavers Independent Collective - 18+ = 7 young people

The group meet twice a month one meeting is open for professionals to come and speak with the group the other meeting gives the group time to work on pieces of work they feel are important.

The group visit the corporate parenting board once a year and regularly contribute to the workforce through young person’s panels and deliver Total Respect Training. The group have continued to meet fortnightly during the pandemic virtually

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

Wolverhampton City Council has peer mentors (other care leavers)

Wolverhampton City Council has other mentoring schemes

Details:
Grand mentor scheme. This is a scheme run by Volunteers Matter. volunteers who are aged 50+ support young people in care and care leavers. This scheme covers young people from 14 – 25. They provide social contact and support young people with their emotional wellbeing. The mentors support young people with achieving identified goals. The volunteers are trained and supervised by the Grand Mentor coordinator who is located within the Leaving Care Team.

Parent champions

There are currently 3 Parent Champions who are assigned to the Leaving Care Service. They are volunteers who support young parents. They offer low level advice and guidance and encourage and support the young people to access universal services.

Children in care mentors.

There are currently 2 Children and Young people in care mentors employed by the local authority. They provide social contact and support young people with their emotional wellbeing. The mentors support young people with achieving identified goals.

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:
Yes if requested via their YPA.