1.4This Policy Should Be Read in Conjunction of the Admission and Discharges Policy

April2016

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POLICYFORPREPARINGYOUNGPEOPLETOLIVEINDEPENDENTLY

1.0Introduction

1.1Leavingaplacethathasbeenhomeforayoungpersoncanbeaverydifficulttimeforallconcernedasfriendshipsandrelationshipswillhavebeenbuiltup,andoftenthethoughtoflosingthoserelationshipscanbe difficult for both youngpeopleandstaff.

1.2Weareallanxiousattimesinourlifewhenthingschangeandtheroutinewefeelsafeandsecureinalters.Thereforeitisparticularlyimportantthattheyoungpersonwhoismovingintoindependentlivingisfullypreparedforthehighsandlowsindependencecanbring.

1.3Thedisengagingprocessandthedischargefromthehomeshouldalwaystakeintoaccounttheemotionalandpracticalaspectsofmovingon.

1.4This policy should be read in conjunction of the admission and discharges policy.

2.0Principlesof policy

2.1Youngpeopledependontheadultsintheirlivestopreparethemforadulthoodandindependentliving.Residentialchildcareworkersmustthereforeundertakethistaskforchildrenincarethroughout a youngperson’sresidenceincare.

2.2Thepreparationmustbebasedon a comprehensiveassessmentofneed,completedwiththeyoungperson,andbedeliveredatthepaceoftheyoungperson. The relevant plans for the young person will provide the timescales and pace guidance required. These plans should be informed by staff within the home.

3.0Legislativecontext

3.1ThisresidentialpolicymustbereadinconjunctionwiththeChildren(LeavingCare)Act2000,andKnowsley’sleavingcarepolicyandproceduresandleavingcarefinancialpolicyandprocedures.

4.0Pathwayplanning

4.1Preparationforleavingcareisanintegralpartofthecareplanningprocessthroughoutachild/youngperson’stimeincare.Howeverbythetimetheyoungpersonis16yearsand3months,apathwayplansettingouthowtheirneedswillbemetinrelationtoeducation,training,employment,accommodation,health,personalsupport,financialsupport,andlifeskillsmustbeinplace.

4.2TheassessmentfortheplanwillcommenceinKnowsleyfromwhentheyoungpersonis15yearsand6monthsoldinordertoensurethoroughplanningwiththeaimofhavingthepathwayplaninplacewhentheyoungpersonreaches16yearsofage.Theyoungperson’sallocatedworkerwillberesponsibleforcoordinatingtheassessmentandwillusetheyoungperson’scareplanasthebasisofthepathwayplanassessment.

4.3Foryoungpeoplelivinginresidentialcare,theinitialpathwayplanningmeetingwillbechairedby a managerfromeithertheresidentialhomeorthesocialworkteam.

4.4Theinitialmeetingwillestablish:

• Theaimoftheplan,i.e. whatistheyoungperson’sgoalforlivingindependently
• Whatneedstobeaddressedtoensure a successfulmovetoindependence
• Whatsupportdoestheyoungpersonneedtodeveloptheirindependenceskills
• Whatisthecontingencyplan
• Howthefieldworkstaffandresidentialstaffwillsupporttheyoungpersontoachievetheirgoal.

1. Specifictaskswillbeidentifiedandagreedandwillberecordedinthedraftpathwayplan.Aleadworker(fieldworkerorresidential)willbeallocatedtosupporttheyoungpersoninachievingthetaske.g.openingabankaccount,preparingmeals,budgeting,shopping,cleaningetc.
2. Aweeklycalendarwillbeestablishedfortheyoungpersontohighlightwhenspecifictaskswillbeundertaken,whotheywillbeundertakenbyandhowtheywillbeundertaken.
3. Thisplanningwillbereviewedonasix weeklybasisbytheyoungperson,theresidentialkeyworkerandthesocialworkerwhenthesocialworkerundertakesthescheduledstatutoryvisittothechild.Amendmentstothedraftplanwillbemadeasneeded.
4. Residentialworkerswillalsoreviewtheplanaspartoftheirmonthlyevaluationswiththeyoungperson.
5. Thepathwayassessmentdocumentwillremainapaperdocumentupontheyoungperson’sresidentialfilewhilstitisbeingprogressed.Oncethepathwayplaniscomplete a papercopywillbeplacedupontheresidentialfile.
6. Whenthefinalpathwayplanisinplaceatthetimeoftheyoungperson’s16thbirthday,thepathwayplanwillbereviewedsix monthlyaspartofthestatutoryreviewprocessbytheconferenceandreviewmanager.

5.0Enablingyoungpeopletomoveonpositively

5.1Allarrangementsfortheyoungpersontomovefromthehomeshouldbecarefullyplanned.

5.2Allparties,includingtheyoungperson’sfamily,whereappropriate,mustbeawareofplansrelatingtothetransitionfromthechildren’shometosemiindependence/independence.Allpartiesmustalsobeawarewhenspecifictaskswillhappenandwhowillundertakethesetasks. This will remain to be the social worker’s responsibility, however the Registered Manager will have a duty to maintain relationships with the wider team around the young person.

5.3Residentialchildcareworkersmustworkinpartnershipwiththeyoungperson’ssocialworkerand other agencies toensureyoungpeopleare:

• Emotionallyandpracticallypreparedtomoveon
• Abletovoicetheirviews,wishesandopinionswhenplansarebeingmadeaboutthe future
• Abletovisittheirnewhomepriortobeingdischarged.

5.4Inpreparationforadultlife,staffwillsupportandencourageeachyoungpersonintheirdevelopmentofskillsin:

• Budgeting
• Personalhygiene
• Completing forms
• Firstaidandhomesafety
• Communitylivingandaccessingcommunityservicesincludingsocialactivities
• Responsibilityoflivinginrentedaccommodation
• Healthyeating/shopping
• Further/highereducation or employment
• Clothescare
• Where to go for health advice
• Wheretogoforfinancialhelp
• Buildingself-esteemandconfidence
• Formingandmaintainingappropriaterelationships.

5.5Leavinghometomoveintoanewhomeonyourowncanbeatimeofmixedemotionsfortheyoungperson.Theywillthereforeneedtobesupportedwithconsistentadviceandencouragementfromresidentialchildcarestaffduringthistransitionperiod.

6.0Emergencysituations

6.1Onlyinexceptionalcircumstances,wouldayoungpersonbemovedoutofthehomeatshort notice.

6.2Intheeventofayoungpersonhavingtoleaveatshortnotice,asmuchpreparationandexplanationaspossibleshouldbegivenbythestaffandsocialworker.

7.0Movingon

7.1Disengaging can be difficult for the young personandresidentialchildcareworkers.Toeasethistransitionresidentialchildcareworkersmaystayintouchwiththeyoungperson.Anycontact,whichismaintainedwiththeyoungperson,will:

• Becarefullyplannedandbasedontheindividualneedsoftheyoungperson
• BemonitoredbytheRegisteredManager
• Onlyoccurwhiletheresidentialchildcareworkerisonduty
• Berecordedonthechild’sfile
• Bereviewedregularlybytheyoungperson,theirsocialworker,theresidentialchildcareworkerandtheregisteredchildren’shomemanager
• Any additional, ad hoc or planned contacts should be discussed within staff supervision. This includes direct and indirect contact.
• At no time should staff befriend young people via social media as all relationships should remain on a professional basis.

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