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The voice of the child and young person is central to the ethos and delivery of the 16+ Leaving Care Service in Caerphilly. We are committed to co-production and relational practice, ensuring that young people are actively involved in shaping the services that support them.

Our approach includes a range of initiatives designed to promote meaningful engagement and influence

Chatterbox: A dedicated platform for care-experienced young people to share their views, ideas, and feedback.

Keeping in Touch Days: Regular events that foster connection between young people and professionals, offering opportunities for guest speakers, relationship-building and peer support.
Value-Based Recruitment: Young people are actively involved in the recruitment of staff, helping to ensure that new team members align with the values of accountability, trust, honesty, respect and working together.

These practices ensure that young people’s voices are not only heard but embedded in decision-making processes. Their lived experience is recognised as expertise and their contributions shape the culture and direction of the service.

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“The only constant in life is change, and we must continue to embrace it.”

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How helpful is the Information provided 

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•  Supported Accommodation: Some young people may develop their independent living skills within several of the supported accommodation projects within the Caerphilly Borough. The 16 Plus team work in partnership with Housing and organisations such as Llamau and Pobl to support young people into short and long term projects. These projects have 24/7 staff members available and work with young people to help them understand how to manage a tenancy, and ideally move through the Caerphilly Step Forward scheme into their own properties.

•  Star flats: Transitional starter flats offer a lower level of support to the supported accommodation projects. One bedroom Housing Association properties across the Caerphilly Borough that are managed by Llamau enable young people to develop their tenancy management skills through weekly support sessions. When appropriate to do so, young people are then placed on to the Caerphilly Move On scheme to transition to their own tenancies.

•  Shared Lives: Transition to independence might be longer for some young people with their support needs making them eligible for additional services through Adult Services. For young people who qualify for Adult Services support, post 18 accommodation arrangements through Shared Lives can match young people with a provider who is able to develop their tenancy skills at a more appropriate level to their needs. Eligibility for Shared Lives starts by the 16 Plus team from the point of Pathway Planning to assess the appropriateness of referral to Adult Services well in advance of their 18th.

•  Living Independently: When you, your 16 Plus workers and housing support workers feel you are ready for independent living, they can refer you through move-on to help you get your own place with either a local authority or housing association. Appropriate support will be offered to you to make this transition as smooth as possible for you.

The possibility of private rent or house share may also be offered if it is affordable to you. You and your 16 Plus Workers will discuss this in more detail. Financial support maybe provided by 16 Plus Team on a risk and needs assessed basis for bonds or 1st months rent.

•  Emergency Accommodation: Emergency accommodation will be offered to any care leaver under 18. This will be dependant on individual needs. This can include being accommodated at a supported housing project, high needs project, bed and breakfast or refuge.

Care leavers over 18 years old will be offered emergency housing via the local authority housing department, and accommodation duty will lie with the housing department.

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•  University: Following education or training, you may wish to go to University. Again, universities provide support for care leavers, and you maybe entitled to student loans, grants and bursaries.

16 Plus services will also help towards your accommodation costs throughout your university studies for up to 4 years.

•  Training, Apprenticeships, Work Based Learning and Volunteering:

If you would prefer to attend a training provider, undertake an apprenticeship, work based learning or volunteering then this can be arranged via Careers Wales with support from your P.A and 16 Plus Education Worker. Most training providers, apprenticeship and work based learning may pay a weekly training allowance and help towards travel. 16 Plus will pay you an incentive if you wish to undertake volunteering.

•  Employment: Working can be in the form of part-time or full-time. If this is something you wish to think about, you can get support from your 16 Plus worker, Careers Wales or Job Centre Plus. These services can also provide you with practical help with C.V’s, job applications and practice interviews.

16 Plus may help to financially support you with interview clothes, work uniform or travel on a risk and needs assessed basis.

•  NEET (Not in education, training or employment): If you find yourself unemployed or not engaged in education or training, then your 16 Plus workers can help to support and refer you onto services if you need who can provide you with additional support to access ETE.

Please note that different education boards within the UK offer different financial support to care leavers. Please speak to your 16 Plus worker for advice and support on this.

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Education / training and Employment:

Having the right kind of education, qualifications and training and employment is an important part of becoming an adult and being able to live independently. It will give you more experience and opportunities, along with having an income.

Your social worker and P.A will help to support you with accessing the right kind of ETE, and can access advice and guidance from education workers, Careers Wales, college co-ordinators and Job Centre Plus.

The 16 Plus Team may also be able to provide financial support on a risk and needs assessed basis for equipment, uniform or other essential items to help support your ETE journey.

By the time you move to the 16 Plus Team you will be in your final year of school (Yr 11) completing your G.C.S.E’s or would have left. You may already have a plan for what you want to do after leaving school but if you haven’t your P.A can discuss options available to you and provide support with this.

Here are some of the options available to you:

•  6th Form and College: You may wish to continue onto 6th form in school, and your school will continue to provide appropriate support to you. If you decide you want to attend college, then all colleges have a CLA co-ordinator who will work alongside care leavers offering appropriate advice, guidance and support.

Your 16 Plus worker can help support you in finding the right course for you, or you can access the college’ prospectus online to see what courses they offer.

You will be entitled to claim £30 a week EMA for attending 6th form or college, and your P.A can support you in completing the forms for this. There may also be additional financial support to help with travel, meals and uniform or kit if required via the college or 16PlusTeam.

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Having the right kind of support and access to services will help you now and in the future.

Your pathway plan will highlight all the important things in your life and look at your needs and any support or services you may require to meet these needs, goals and aspiration and have a healthy an happy move into independence and adulthood.

Health:

Maintaining good health and wellbeing is important to you now and for the future. Accessing the right support and services will help you to maintain this and seek specialist help if needed, some of these services are listed below;

•  GP, dentist and opticians: You should be registered with a G.P, dentist and opticians, and should seek medical advice when required with support of your parent/carers if required.

•  Children Looked After (CLA) Medicals: You will continue to receive these until you are 18 years old or cease to looked after. These will be discussed in your pathway plan review.

•  Sexual Health: You can access free and confidential support for this via your G.P, CLA health nurse, 16 Plus workers or www.nhsdirect.wales.nhs.uk/LocalServices/SexualHealth

•  Mental Health: You can speak to your G.P, CLA health nurse, parent/carer or 16 Plus workers if you feel you need support with mental health.

There are a number of specialist services they can refer you too.

•  Drug and Alcohol Services: You can speak to your G.P, CLA health nurse, parent / carer or 16 Plus workers if you feel you need support with mental health. There are a number of specialist services they can refer you too.

•  LGBTQ: If you are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or questioning, you can get support from a range of services. Education / training and Employment:

Having the right kind of education, qualifications and training and employment is an important part of becoming an adult and being able to live independently. It will give you more experience and opportunities, along with having an income.

Your social worker and P.A will help to support you with accessing the right kind of ETE, and can access advice and guidance from education workers, Careers Wales, college

co-ordinators and Job Centre Plus.

The 16 Plus Team may also be able to provide financial support on a risk and needs assessed basis for equipment, uniform or other essential items to help support your ETE journey.

By the time you move to the 16 Plus Team you will be in your final year of school (Yr 11) completing your G.C.S.E’s or would have left. You may already have a plan for what you want to do after leaving school but if you haven’t your P.A can discuss options available to you and provide support with this.

Here are some of the options available to you:

•  6th Form and College: You may wish to continue onto 6th form in school, and your school will continue to provide appropriate support to you. If you decide you want to attend college, then all colleges have a CLA co-ordinator who will work alongside care leavers offering appropriate advice, guidance and support.

Your 16 Plus worker can help support you in finding the right course for you, or you can access the college’ prospectus online to see what courses they offer.

If you need help with registering or accessing these services, please let us know and we can support you with this.

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What is a My Pathway Plan?

All young people will have a My Pathway Plan completed with them by a Personal Advisor.

This plan gives you the opportunity to share your views, wishes and feelings on ‘what matters’ to you when planning your future and leaving care. This will be shared with your social worker so they have an overview on you and what is important to you.

What is a Pathway Plan Assessment and Pathway Plan?

Following your My Pathway Plan, your social worker will complete a pathway plan assessment. They will meet with you to speak to you about your current needs and write a pathway plan which identifies your needs and what we all need to do to ensure you have a successful move to leaving care and adulthood.

How will I and who will be involved in Pathway Planning?

You and your social worker will be involved in your plan. It is important that you think your plan is right and an up to date needs assessment is completed.

The needs you and your social worker talk about will have short and long term needs, goals and aspirations against them.

Therefore, it is important that you are involved in this, as it is your plan and ‘what matters’ to you.

Other professionals may also be involved (education, housing, YOS, carer/s & health) for their views.

This is to make sure we are all working together and can help you with the same and appropriate advice and support as this will ensure we are all working together and can provide you with appropriate and consistent advice and support.

What will be discussed and covered in my Pathway Plan?

You and your social worker will discuss the following things in your plan:

•  Health and emotional wellbeing

•  Education, training and employment (ETE)

•  Accommodation

•  Finances

•  Family and Social Relationships

•  Self Care Skills and Independent Living Skills

•  Identity

•  Support

When will my pathway plan be completed and reviewed?

Your Pathway Plan will be completed by the time you are 16 years and 3 months. If you are over 16 when you come into care it will be completed within the 3 months of the time you were accommodated.

Your Pathway Plan will be reviewed every 6 months, or earlier if there is a big change to your plan. Your review will be in a form of meeting where everyone involved, such as you, your parent/carers and professionals will all get together and review, discuss your progress and update your plan.

Between the ages 16-18 years you will be able to speak with the Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) alone before your review to discuss any issues and concerns. You are also able to have an advocate represent you on your behalf if you feel you need to.

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As a care leaver you will be entitled to support from the 16 Plus Team up until age 25 years if you require this.

You will be supported by and work with a Social Worker and a Personal Advisor (P.A),

and as time progresses and following your 18th birthday, this may change to either working with just a social worker or a P.A depending on your needs and current situation.

There maybe on occasions that you may move to an Adult Services team, and your case will be managed by an adult social worker, however, you will still have a 16 Plus Services, and continue to have a worker work alongside you from the 16 Plus Team.

Roles and Responsibilities of 16 Plus Personal Advisor

You will have a Personal advisor from 16 Plus from age 15 years & 6 months. They will meet with you to introduce 16 Plus Team services and complete a My Pathway Plan to gather your views, wishes and feelings in relation to leaving care, which will be shared with the social worker to feed into your assessment. A P.A will continue to work with you to support your views, wishes and feelings and ensure you are happy with your plan and it meets your needs.

They can offer support with education, training and employment, help to develop your independent living skills, help with budgeting and claiming benefits or financial support and accommodation.

Or, you are able to choose to nominate somebody already involved in your care to act as your

P.A. This maybe your foster carer, parent, mentor, youth worker or teacher. This is welcomed by all young people and you can let us know if you’d prefer to choose this option.

Roles and Responsibilities of 16 Plus Social Worker

You will meet and have a social worker from 16 Plus from age 15 years and 9 months. They will meet with you to complete a Pathway Plan assessment and look at your needs to complete a Pathway Plan with you. Your social worker will manage and be responsible for overseeing your case. They will work with other services to ensure your needs are met and complete any important work or legal requirements involving you and your case.

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We understand that leaving care can be a challenging, as well as an exciting time for you and we hope this guide provides you with an overview of the types of support you will receive and maybe entitled to, too make a successful, happy and rewarding transition to independence and adulthood.

This padlet is an information guide for young people transitioning to the Caerphilly 16 Plus Team. It covers various aspects of leaving care and provides essential information and support for care leavers.

Its main Aims are to:

Delay your discharge from care until you are prepared

Improve the preparation and planning

Provide support for you

Improve your financial arrangements

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Caerphilly 16 Plus Team  o292o 8497oo

NHS Direct Wales – Emergency  999 Non emergency  111 or NHS Direct Wales on o8454647(111)

NSPCC  o8o8 8oo 5ooo

The Children’s Commissioner for Wales      o1792 7656oo or  email: post@childcomwales.org.uk

National Youth Advocacy Services (NYAS)  o8o8 8o8 1oo1 Caerphilly Social Services (Emergency out of hours)  o8oo 3284432 Women’s Aid  o8o8 2ooo 247

Voices from Care o292o451431

Trustle Trust (food banks)  o1722 58o 18o Citizen Advice Bureau Caerphilly  o3444 772o2o Careers Wales  o8oo o28 4844

Universal Credit o3456ooo723

Caerphilly Council Housing advice centre  o1443 873552
GDAS(Drug&Alcohol) o292o868675

Caerphilly Supporting People  o1443 864548

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Everyone needs some form of income and finances to meet their daily essential living needs.

Having some form of income will help you meet your basic needs. You will need to have a bank account and savings account at the time you come to the 16 Plus Team.

The 16 Plus Team will help you with money on a needs and risk assessed basis, depending on current circumstances and in-line with the Authorities financial policy.

Category 1 and 2 young people (under 18) living independently:

If you live independently you will be able to receive a weekly allowance equivalent to Job Seekers allowance, £78.13 to assist you with living expenses. Your accommodation will be paid for by the Local Authority. You may also receive extra support towards clothing and Hair cuts and towards getting you started in education, training and employment.

18th Birthday:

On or around your 18th birthday you will receive a one off payment of £50, your 16 plus worker will arrange this for you.

Following your 18th birthday you will need to claim benefits, your worker will ensure that you have £50 per week for 5 weeks while your claim is being actioned.

JISA/Child Trust Fund:

The Government introduced a Junior ISA Scheme that has been introduced for all looked after children, who have been continuously looked after for one year or longer and whom did not benefit from the Child Trust Fund. The Government made an initial payment of £200.00, which is managed by The Share Foundation – a registered charity. If you were entitled to this money it will belong to you from 18 and a letter will be sent to yourself to claim this.

If the young person returned to their parents or family before 18, then the Junior ISA would have been transferred to the management of them and they would have become the Registered Contact with the Junior ISA Provider.  However, the account can still only be accessed by the young person when they reach 18.

Category 3 young people (over 18):

You may be eligible to claim state benefits:

Universal Credit depending on your individual circumstances. You can still attend education, training and employment whilst claiming benefits depending on your current circumstances.

Additional Assistance can be given to young people for:-

Education Training & Employment (ETE) Support:

The 16 Plus Team may provide financial support on a risk and needs assessed basis to help towards supporting you with ETE. This may include, help towards, travel, work clothing, uniform, equipment, books, laptop and printer.

Council Tax:

If you are eligible to pay council tax, the Welsh Government has made all care leavers up to the age of 25 years exempt from paying council tax.

Driving Lessons:

The 16 Plus Team can provide financial support towards you learning to drive. This can be discussed with your 16 Plus Worker and there will need to be a commitment from yourself for the first 10 lessons.

Leaving Care Assistance for Setting up New home:

When you are setting up home and moving to independence you will be assisted by the Local Authority for the purchase of essentials items.

This will be to purchase essential living items and furnish your home, for example; white goods, t.v, bed and sofa. This payment will not be handed to you cash, but accessible via requests made to your 16 Plus workers for items, which they can order or buy for you. This money is only available to young people up to 21 unless they remain in university between 21 and 25 and will only be setting up following this.

Emergency payments:

If you find yourself in a difficult financial position  and  need  financial help for food, gas, electric or travel, you can request assistance from your 16 Plus worker who will talk to you about your current circumstances and seek agreement from 16 Plus Manager to see if we can support your request.

To help you manage you’re money and make ends meet if your on a limited budget, your P.A or other support workers involved can help to complete a budgeting plan with you.