Care leaver

What does this mean for me?

Just because you are leaving care, or have already left care, we haven’t stopped caring about you. We want to make sure you feel safe and supported and know where to go for advice and help.
Your personal advisor will:

be there until your 25th birthday offering support and guidance, led by your needs and how much support you’d like
we will give you gifts for your birthday and religious festival
support you with decisions about your future and help you to get to your goals
develop with you a pathway plan which will show how you will be supported to achieve everything you wish to achieve
help you find the right sort of loving home at a time that is right for you (for example remaining with your former foster carer at 18 or in a supported lodging arrangement)
will support you in achieving your career goals, which may be through apprenticeships, college or university, work experience or employment
help you budget and manage your money and apply for any benefits or extra help you are entitled to
support you to stay safe and have a healthy lifestyle
help you to have new experiences and develop your own interests
help you to keep in touch with family, carers and friends and develop good support networks wherever you are living

As we work with lots of organisations to make sure you get the best amount of help, we will always tell you who we plan to share your information with. You can also at any point ask to see any information we may hold about you and your past whilst in care.

Our promise to you

we will respect and honour your identity and culture
believe in you, take your views into account and never give up on you
give you the information you need in every aspect of life, including opportunities and rights
support you with any big decisions you have to make
offer practical help to help you have the skills to find and manage your home
involve you, listen to you and make sure you know what will happen next
we will celebrate your achievements

Other types of help:

If you have special educational needs or disabilities

Sometimes it can be hard to know if you were looked after if you lived somewhere like a residential school or home for young people with disabilities, or if you lived with your family but had lots of short breaks. If you are unsure whether you are a care leaver, you can contact our leaving care service to check. If you are unable to call us yourself, ask someone you trust to make the call.

In Lincolnshire we have something called the Local Offer which describes lots of additional help and support available.
If you need help to understand this information or access the website, contact your personal advisorr or social worker who can go through this with you.

If you are pregnant, about to be or are a parent

Being a parent is a big step for any young person, but it is particularly so for a care leaver becoming independent at the same time and can be both scary and exciting.

Care leavers who are to become parents will have a special responsibility. You will need to ensure your baby receives good enough parenting when that might not have been the case for you.

Your personal advisor will work with you alongside other agencies (including midwifes, health visitors and possibly social workers) and can provide help, advice, and support. This can be in lots of ways such as where you live, money, essential items a baby would need and wellbeing support.

If you are the non-birthing parent, we will offer you opportunities to access support during the pregnancy as the birth will affect you too. We’ll suggest ways you can support your partner during pregnancy and how you can be as ready as possible to be a parent.

You may be able to get help with money, such as receiving a one-off payment to help with the costs of having a child. This is called a Sure Start maternity grant.

There is also lots of advice, guidance and groups available at our children centres, you can see your health visitor here, get baby weighed, attend groups and attend parenting groups which are specially for parents to be, we call this antenatal.

Better Births Lincolnshire also has lots of helpful information.

If you are in custody or on remand

We're still here for you

Being in custody or on remand (waiting in prison while a court makes a decision about your case) does not mean you lose support from Lincolnshire leaving care service.

You are still a care-experienced young person, and we are still here for you.

If you are a care-experienced young person aged 18 to 25, your personal advisor (PA) will continue to support you while you are in custody and help you plan for your release and future.
We will listen to you, involve you in decisions, and work with you to plan for your future.

The key things to know

you will still get support from your PA
we will help you plan for release
we can help with housing, money and education
you can still contact us while you are in custody

Who will support me?

Your PA will continue to support you while you are in custody. They can:

keep in touch with you while you are in custody
help update your pathway plan
support you to prepare for release
help you access housing, money, education, training and other support
include you in all decision making and service provision

You can expect:

a visit from your PA arranged as soon as possible (within seven days) after we are told you have entered custody
a face-to-face visit at least every 8 weeks
contact from your PA at least every 4 weeks
additional contact by phone, video call, letter or visit where possible
support at important meetings or court appearances if needed
active anti-racist from leaving care service

If you need help or have concerns, you can contact your PA.

Prison staff

support your day-to-day needs while you are in custody
help arrange education, training, healthcare, and other services within the prison

Probation services

work with you when you are preparing for release and after you leave custody
help support your return to the community and understand any rules you need to follow after release

Your pathway plan

Your pathway plan is about your future goals, support needs, and plans for when you leave custody.

While you are in custody:

your pathway plan will be checked and updated regularly - within 28 days of entering custody or being held on remand
your pathway plan will be updated every six months, then four weeks before release, and within 28 days of being released
your views and wishes will be included
plans for housing, money, education, work, training, health, and relationships will be discussed
planning for your release will begin before you leave custody

Planning for your release

We want you to feel prepared for your return to the community.

Before your release, everyone involved in supporting you will work together to help you prepare for leaving custody. This may include:

you
your PA
prison staff
probation services
housing services
other people supporting you

Together we will make a plan to support your move back into the community.

What support might be available after release?

Depending on your situation, support may include:

help to attend important appointments
support with housing and settling into accommodation
help applying for benefits
support to access education, training, or work
help you sign up with a GP and access health services
help you reconnect with people who support you and build positive relationships
regular contact with your PA

Accommodation

Having somewhere safe and suitable to live is important.
Before your release:

we will talk to you about where you would like to live and the options available to you. This could include supported housing, living independently, returning to where you lived before, or other suitable housing
we will support you to make any housing applications needed
housing staff from the leaving care service may be involved in your planning meetings
we will work with partners to help make sure accommodation plans are in place as early as possible
we will aim to have a housing plan in place before your release wherever possible

Money and financial support

While you are in custody:

some leaving care payments may stop while you are in prison because your day-to-day needs are being provided there
you may be able to receive support to help you stay in touch with important people
you will get a monthly allowance and the regular birthday and religious festival gifts

When you are preparing for release:

we can discuss any financial support you may need
we may be able to help with essential items to support your wellbeing and daily needs
a basic mobile phone and credit may be available to help you stay in touch with support services and attend important appointments
support with clothing may be available where needed
if you need to claim benefits after release, we can help you while your benefit claim is being sorted

Your PA will explain what financial support is available through the Lincolnshire core offer.

Staying safe

We know leaving custody can feel challenging.

Before your release:

we will talk with you about anything that may affect your safety, wellbeing, or mental health
we will work with other people and services to make sure you get the support you need
we will help you identify trusted people who can support you
a planning meeting will be held around 4 weeks before your release

Special occasions

You will continue to be remembered on important occasions.
The leaving care service can arrange birthday and seasonal gifts in line with the Lincolnshire core offer.
Your PA can explain what is available.

If you have a long sentence

Even if you are in prison for a long time, we will still care about what happens to you and help you understand what support is available when you are preparing for release.
If you remain in custody for a long period:

we will make sure you know how to contact us
we will provide information, advice, and guidance when you are getting ready to leave prison
we will support you to understand the services available to help you return to the community

What you can expect from us

We will:

treat you with respect
listen to your views
involve you in decisions
stay in contact with you
help you plan for your future
work with other services to support you
help you prepare for a successful release

Need help?

Speak to:

your personal advisor
your leaving care team
a member of prison staff supporting you

We are committed to supporting you during your time in custody and helping you achieve your goals when you return to your community.