Personal Support

Aftercare social workers

These are specialist workers who have a good understanding of the sort of support you might need when you leave care. One of them will be responsible for you when you leave care, to make sure you get the support you need.

Your aftercare social worker will make sure your Pathway Plan is kept up to date when you leave care. They make decisions about any financial help you get, and they get other specialist people in to help if that's what you agree is needed.

Pathway Plan

Your Pathway Plan looks at the support you will need to live independently. It is your plan for the future.

It includes things like where you'll live, any education or training you might want, jobs, your money, any cultural or identity needs, your health and your lifestyle.

You and others (like your social worker, carer, aftercare social worker and your personal advisor) will agree what goes in your Pathway Plan before you leave care. It says what each person has agreed to do to help you get to where you want to be.

Your life can change very quickly sometimes, so you, your aftercare social worker and your personal advisor will look at your plan regularly so that it can be changed if necessary.

If you have any extra needs (like a disability), these will be included in the plan.

Personal advisors

Personal advisors are similar to aftercare social workers, but they work for organisations that aren't part of the county council. When you're 15 or a bit older, your social worker will invite your personal advisor to meet you, so you can get to know them better. It doesn't mean you're going to leave care soon, but it will give you more time to get to know them better.

You'll see more of them than your aftercare social worker once you leave care. They can give you a lot more time if you need it, and will keep in regular contact to support and advise you.

If you want it, they can keep in touch until you are 21. You can see less of them when things are going well, but you'll know where to get hold of them if you need them again.

The foster carers you were living with

Many young people have a close relationship with their foster carers and keep in touch even after they've left. Foster carers can be a real support because they know you.

We make sure that carers can be helped financially if, say, you visit for meals, or stay over, or for travel expenses if they help you get to college or work.

Your aftercare social worker can help you.

NYAS - National Youth Advocacy Service

If you're not happy with the support you're getting from us, NYAS can help you.

They're completely separate from the County Council.

They will make sure your voice gets heard. For example, they might help you write a letter, or speak on your behalf at a meeting.

You can phone them on tel: 0800 616101, Monday to Friday 8am - 8pm, Saturday 10am - 4pm.