Introduction

Preparation for adulthood starts at an early age. It is a lifelong process, which needs to begin a long time before a young person becomes 16 years old. Foster carers and supported lodgings carers will be expected to play a significant part in the process of preparing a young person to make the transition into adulthood and living more independently.

Case responsibility for looked after young people transfers to the 16 Plus Support Team on or around their 16th birthday. In order to make that transfer easier, the 16 Plus worker will start to get to know the young person at around age 15 ½ and will start to prepare the Leaving Care Needs Assessment. This will be completed by the young person’s 16th birthday, and foster carers, as the people who often know them best, will play a significant role in preparing this.

In conjunction with the fostering service, The 16 Plus Support Team ensures that foster carers and supported lodgings carers help to develop the skills, competence and knowledge necessary for adult living. This will include ‘Preparation for Adult Life’ training and a whole range of helpful and informative materials.

Expectations

All young people aged 16 years and above will have a Pathway Plan that will be completed by the time they are 16 ¼ years of age. While it is the responsibility of the 16 Plus worker to see that this is completed at the right time, foster carers and supported lodgings carers will be expected to help with devising and drawing up that plan. They will be expected to support the young person in achieving the objectives in that plan, and to be involved in reviewing the plan which takes place every 6 months.

Foster carers and supported lodgings carers will receive training and support to enable them to provide effective support and guidance to a young person who is preparing to move into independent or semi-independent living. Each carer will have a supervising social worker and carers will be expected to attend training courses that are available.

Foster carers and supported lodgings carers will be expected to provide all young people with age and developmentally appropriate opportunities for learning independence skills. These objectives will form part of the Pathway Plan.

All young people should be consulted about plans for their future and encouraged, by carers, to be actively involved in decision-making processes and implementation of the Pathway Plan.

Foster carers and supported lodgings carers will be expected to support the young person in fulfilling their plans for education, employment and vocational training. They will need to encourage the young person to achieve their full potential in these aspects of their personal development.

Implementation of the Pathway Plan

The purpose of the Pathway Plan is to consider the needs of each young person in relation to preparing for adult living. It is structured in a way that gives consideration to various aspects of a young person’s development. Detailed below are some examples of what a foster carer or supported lodgings carer might be expected to do by way of supporting a young person who is living in their household.

1) Accommodation

• Helping a young person to understand about the responsibility of having their own accommodation, including money management and consideration of neighbours.
• Helping a young person to consider where they might like to live.
• Showing a young person how to do household tasks e.g. cleaning, maintenance.

2) Finance

• Helping a young person to budget.
• Supporting a young person to open a bank account.
• Assisting a young person to make a benefit claim.

(A young person aged 16 or 17 in a supported lodgings placement supervised by the 16 Plus Support Team receives a weekly personal allowance of £25.00 in 2017/2018. This is to cover clothing and pocket money. This is equivalent to just under half the amount of Job Seekers’ Allowance (JSA) or the Income Support (IS) they would receive (£56.80 in 2017/2018) if they are unemployed (JSA) or in further education (IS) The remainder of £31.80 is a nominal contribution towards their board and lodging. This monetary arrangement also applies to foster placements that are converted to supported lodgings at age 18.

3) Employment

• Motivating and helping a young person to find employment
• Support with preparing for and attending a job interview
• Support in attending job-related appointments e.g. Careers / Connexions

4) Education and Training
Encouraging and motivating young people to pursue post-16 learning and development opportunities.

• Assisting young people to identify the most suitable possible course
• Attending interviews and meetings at school/ college
• Liaising with staff in school/ college

5) Health and Leisure

• Encourage young people to attend health services such as the GP, Dentist, Optician, Hospital, Sexual Health Clinic.
• To assist a young person in developing a healthy and affordable diet
• To encourage and support a young person to develop leisure activities

6) Personal Support, Family and Social Relationships

• To promote positive contact with a young person’s family
• To support a young person in developing and maintaining friendships
• Supporting a young person to access information and services

7) Personal Care

• Helping a young person to develop a sense of personal safety
• Supporting and encouraging a young person to care for themselves
• Helping a young person to travel independently

Summary

Each looked after young person needs to be treated as an individual. Carers will be provided with the support and guidance to enable them to assist the young person to develop their potential and make the transition into adulthood a positive experience in spite of some of the difficulties that will be experienced along the way.