What we do
The leaving care service works with young people leaving care aged 16 to 25. All young people who are eligible for a service are entitled to support up to the age of 25 regardless of their circumstances.
If you’re not sure whether the offer applies to you, or if there is anything else in this guide that you don't understand, speak to your social worker or personal adviser.
If you don’t have a social worker or personal adviser, get in touch with the Leaving Care Team and they will be able to let you know whether the offer applies to you.
If you’ve had a personal adviser in the past and would like some support from the Leaving Care Team again, please get back in touch.
At 16 (or soon after coming into care before you turn 18) you will be supported by a leaving care worker and a social worker up to 18. At 18 you will no longer have a social worker, but the leaving care team will be with you, if you want, up to the age of 25.
At 21 we step you forward to a less intensive service. We want you to be your own independent adult in your own rights, but you are still fully entitled to come back to us at any time and access support offering information, advice and guidance from the leaving care service up to the age of 25.
Being your corporate parents means Lincolnshire, the seven district councils and our partners must provide you with certain support and services, some of these are in law. We want to support you and offer every opportunity you need to be the best you can possibly be and to achieve your goals.
To better meet all your individual needs, we have worked with other organisations who provide services and support, including housing providers, education, health services and community organisations to make sure you know what our offer is.
We all want you to have every opportunity and the support you need to be the best you can possibly be, so we will give you strong roots of stability in leaving care, love, encouragement, positive relationships and healing from past harm you may have experienced and want to support into successful adulthood.
We work with other partner organisations to provide the services and support outlined in our core offer, including:
- housing providers
- schools, colleges and universities
- businesses
- voluntary and community organisations
Our service users have made a short video, showing what you get from the service
How can we help?
The team will work closely with you, your social worker and your carers when you are 16 and 17. This will ensure that you are ready and able to make a successful move into adulthood.
We will support and advocate on your behalf. We will carry out a six-monthly pathway review meeting with you and other agencies and organisations that may be helping you.
We offer funding for new home grants, help by paying for education and have options for apprenticeships and employment support.
Our promise to you
As a department, we will:
- respect and honour your identity
- believe in you, take your views into account and never give up on you
- discuss your needs with you and listen to your views
- give you the information you need in every aspect of life, including opportunities and rights
- support you with your needs and the decisions you have to make
- enhance your life skills to help you find and manage a home
- listen to you and be available when possible
- we want your views on what we do, find out more about a wide range of participation activities for you to get involved with