Guidelines for Use of Needs Assessment and Pathway Planning Materials

GUIDELINES FOR USE OF NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND PATHWAY PLANNING MATERIALS

CONTENTS

Section 1Introduction

Section 2Legislative Framework and Entitlements

Section 3Core Messages for Practice

• Keep the young person at the Centre of the Process
• Make it a Meaningful Process
• Take a Creative Approach

Section 4Needs Assessment and Pathway Planning in Action

• Pathway Planning Process
• Roles and Responsibilities
• Consent for Information Sharing
• Initial Contract
• Engaging in the Work
• Pathway Planning in Action

Section 5Review of the Pathway Plan

Section 6Appendices

Section 7References

Section 1: Introduction

Under the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2002, all HSS Trusts have a duty to ensure that young people are prepared for the time when they will no longer be looked after and that assessment and planning is in place to ensure that young people’s needs are met, as they progress towards adulthood.

The Children (Leaving Care) Act 2002, sets out statutory requirements for Trusts to undertake a needs assessment for each eligible and relevant young person with a view to determining what advice, assistance and support should be provided by the Trust, both while the young person is looked after and when they cease to be looked after. Fulfilling this duty in a manner, which delivers a comprehensive and young person centred approach, will afford and promote young people’s ownership of the process and ensure support arrangements are in place that are tailored to meet the assessed needs of each individual young person.

The associated Guidance and Regulations detail and prescribe what needs assessment and pathway planning processes should cover and how they should be carried out. This documentation provides a regional framework for undertaking needs assessment and pathway planning. The purpose of these materials is to ensure that those responsible for co-ordinating and / or contributing to these processes do so from a position of being fully informed of what is required of them. They can then make best use of the processes to achieve young people’s involvement and ownership and add positively to collective efforts to achieve best outcomes for each young person.

The materials were not designed for use as a tick list. It is intended that the materials be used in a timely, paced, flexible and selective manner and take account of each young person’s circumstances, readiness, level of ability and social functioning.

The material is divided into the following sections:

• Planning for Your Future assessment materials
• Needs Assessment Framework
• Pathway Plan
• Pathway Review

The materials should be read in conjunction with “Leaving and After Care: Guidance and Regulations, Volume 8, 2005”.

A regional Task Group comprising of the following representatives developed these materials:

Kate Anderson, Chairperson, Down and Lisburn Trust.

Alicia Toland, VOYPIC

Agnes Carey, Causeway HSST

Marie Gribben, Barnardos Northern Ireland

Lorraine Noade, Down and Lisburn HSST

Julie Allen, Down and Lisburn HSST

Anne- Marie McCrory, Sperrin Lakeland HSST

Irene Robinson, Homefirst HSST

Niall Kerr, Kindercare

We are indebted to the Scottish Throughcare and Aftercare Forum and Barnardo’s Scotland for their kind permission in allowing extensive use and reproduction of much of the materials contained in the Pathway Materials designed for local authorities in Scotland.

Following consultation with the four Board Assistant Directors in January 2007 it was agreed that:

• the materials would be piloted regionally across all Leaving Care / Looked After services for 16 plus year olds from April 2007 for a twelve month period
• training to assist with implementation of the materials would be delivered in conjunction with Children Order trainers during February, March and April 2007.

An evaluation framework is being developed to ensure monitoring and evaluation arrangements are in place for the period of the pilot. A regional advisory group is also in place to oversee the pilot period and to assist with coordination of evaluation and monitoring measures. At the end of the pilot period, the materials will be reviewed and amended based on findings and learning.

Section 2: The Legislative Framework for Leaving Care - Children (Leaving Care) Act (NI) 2002

Around 200 young people age 16 and 17 years leave the care of HSS Trusts each year who, if unable to return to families of origin, reside as young adults in some form of supported or independent living arrangements in the community. Concern at the vulnerability of young people leaving care has grown from the late 1980’s reflected in national and local research which evidences that outcomes for this group of young people are consistently poor on a number of fronts including; employment, educational attainment, homelessness, young parenthood, poverty, crime and mental health. Local research, ‘Meeting the Challenge’ 19961 confirmed a similar position for a group of young people who left care placements in Northern Ireland during a 6 month period in 1992.

The commencement of the Children (NI) Order 1995 in November 1996 drew attention to the needs of young people leaving care and strengthened the responsibilities of Trusts to this group of young people by placing a statutory duty on them to provide aftercare and continuity of support to care leavers.

The Social Services Inspectorate Report ‘Promoting Independence’ 20002 noted, however, that despite this legislative basis, young people leaving care in Northern Ireland continued to experience a range of disadvantage in terms of education, employment, housing and family support. The report noted the differential provision available to care leavers across Trusts and concluded that there was a need for better co-ordinated support from public sector agencies.

Against this backcloth and the consultative document, ‘Proposals for a Leaving Care Bill for Northern Ireland’3, a strengthened and enhanced legislative framework was established by the Children (Leaving Care) Act (NI) 2002, which was implemented on 1st September 2005.

Whilst the Children (NI) Order, and its underlying principles, continue to provide the overall legal framework for leaving and after care services, the Children (Leaving Care) Act creates a stronger statutory basis for improved leaving and after care services by amending the existing leaving care provisions contained in Articles 35 to 37 of the Children Order.

Its core purpose is ‘to improve the life chances of young people who are looked after by Trusts as they make the transition to independent living’.

The main aims of the Children (Leaving Care) Act (NI) 2002 are:

• to prevent premature discharges from care;
• to improve preparation, planning and consistency of support to young people leaving care and in aftercare; and
• to improve arrangements for financial support.

The Act specifies that the responsible Trust is the HSS Trust which last looked after an ‘eligible’ child or ‘relevant’ child regardless of their post care residence.

The Act introduced new categories of eligibility for leaving and after care and specified corresponding entitlements in respect of each of the categories established.

Eligibility Categories:

Eligibility for each category is based on:

• the young person’s age;
• the length of time looked after; and
• current care status.

Entitlements

It has already been noted that young people’s entitlements to leaving care services under the Children (Leaving Care) Act depends on which category of eligibility they fall into. The section below provides a synopsis of the services available within each category.

Eligible Young People

• All the provisions of the looked after system
• Personal Adviser
• Needs Assessment
• Pathway Plan and review.

Relevant Young People

• Personal Adviser
• Needs Assessment
• Pathway Plan and Review
• Accommodation and maintenance
• Assistance to achieve goals, such as educational goals, based on a needs assessment and as specified in the Pathway Plan
• General assistance and personal support
• Access to the complaints procedure
• Responsible HSS Trust must keep in touch

Former Relevant Young People

• Personal Adviser
• Pathway Plan and Review
• Assistance with employment, education and training
• General assistance
• Vacation accommodation for higher education or residential further education if needed
• Access to the complaints procedure
• Responsible HSS Trust must keep in touch

Persons Qualifying for Advice and Assistance:

• Same as under Article 35 before the Children (Leaving Care) Act (NI) 2002
• Also for those who were looked after by a HSS Trust as specified under Art 35(2)(a), the relevant Trust must also:

-keep in touch

-assist with education and training up to the age of 24

-provide vacation accommodation if it is needed.

Section 3: Core Messages for Practice

Use and application of the needs assessment and Pathway Planning materials is underpinned by three fundamental messages:

• Keep the young person at the centre of the process
• Make it a meaningful process
• Take a creative approach

The purpose of the Pathway Planning materials is to assist young people in preparing for independent and adult living. The young person is central to the assessment and planning process and the way that the materials are used should reflect this. This will help to promote shared ownership and engagement in the process.

To help keep the young person at the centre of Pathway Planning

→ Introduce the materials to the young person at an appropriate time, in an appropriate way

• Engage with the young person on a personal level first – does the young person know me well enough to get started on this?
• Think about how you can gradually introduce the use of the materials – what would be the reaction if you just handed over the whole folder and asked them to get on with it?

→ Hear what the young person is saying

• Have you listened to and understood the young person’s views?
• Does the young person want other people to be involved in supporting and assisting him / her? Who else plays a part in their life?

→Take account of any additional support needs the young person may have

• Are there any disabilities, health needs, language problems, etc. to consider?
• Does the young person require increased support to express their views?
• What role could carers or family members play?

→Take a positive approach to the process

• Look to the future – think about personal goals and the steps to take the young person to where he / she would like to be

→Move through the assessment and planning process in a way, and at a pace, that suits the young person

• The sections are not intended to be used sequentially – think about which section or pages would be best for the young person to start with

• Not all questions are relevant for each young person. Decide together which are most appropriate in each individual case

The focus of Pathway Planning is on gathering views, identifying need, planning action and reviewing progress. It is not a form filling exercise or a one off event.

The ‘Planning for your Future’ materials and Pathway Needs Assessment provide a methodology and framework to ensure that relevant areas are covered as part of the overall assessment and planning process for preparation for adulthood and after care.

To be meaningful it is important that agencies and individuals work together and try to involve all relevant people at appropriate stages therefore consideration should be given to the following from the outset:

→ Who does the young person want to be involved?

• Thought should be given to who has positive, supportive relationships with the young person and who is already involved in the young person’s life. Consider where there may be gaps.

→ Can particular agencies or individuals assist in completing parts of the materials?

• Different people may assist with completing different sections of the assessment and pathway planning materials e.g. teacher for education, G.P for health, careers advisor for training, employment etc. The social worker should ensure that everyone works together to support the young person throughout the process.

Preparation for leaving care and the provision of aftercare must be planned in conjunction with all other involved agencies e.g. Education and Library Boards, The Northern Ireland Housing Executive, The Careers Service and where appropriate, other HSS Trusts. These agencies should be invited to contribute to a young persons continuing Care Plan and, as they reach 16, to the Pathway Plan. (Guidance & Regulations Vol 8. May 2005 para 3.4).

→ Can information and assessments that already exist be used?

Remember that the Trust will already hold significant, relevant information on the young person relating to the young person’s looked after arrangements. These records already contain essential factual information about the young person and a record of assessments and care planning. Before embarking on needs assessment and Pathway Planning work with a young person, existing Looking After materials should be examined. This will avoid duplication of effort on the part of the young person, social worker and Personal Adviser.

Planning for your Future materials should be seen as a starting point in the process. Work carried out with these materials may highlight other needs and particular issues that the young person and supporting agencies need to address.

→ Take account of existing practice in Trusts and partner agencies that may differ to the materials. Ensure that key agencies and personnel are fully aware of the Pathway materials and how they should be used.

→Think about who is best placed to support the young person to complete each section. This may include a parent/carer, key worker, mentor or teacher.

→Use additional materials and tools where they will be helpful.

-Some sections of Planning for your Future materialsmay provide a useful starting point from where other, more in-depth work can follow on.

-Consider if other methods or processes may be used to encourage young people to engage with Planning, e.g. by using computer technology, person centred planning, family group conferencing.

→Insert local information and signpost local resources.

-Develop and include other local information in the Planning for your Future resource materials such as copies of useful leaflets, project information, helpful phone numbers etc.

On a final note, this should be an enjoyable process for everyone involved, with the young person having the opportunity to communicate their aspirations and goals at this critical time in their life.

Section 4: Needs Assessment and Pathway Planning in Action

The three main elements of Pathway Planning are:

Planning for my Future resource materials – the views of the young person.

Pathway Assessment – the assessment of the young person’s needs.

Pathway Plan – how the Trust plans to meet the needs.

Diagram 1 provides a graphic overview of the Pathway Planning process and concludes with identification of the Review of Pathway Plan requirements.

The LAC Process and Pathway Planning Process should not be viewed as two separate entities. They are part of the continuum of care which should provide on-going preparation and support for young people who have been looked after and who may soon be making the transition from their care status / care placement.

An eligible young person who qualifies for the leaving care provisions will already have a care plan which has been reviewed regularly and updated as part of the process of assessment, planning intervention and review for children who are looked after. Significant information including essential information records, placement plans, assessments, care plans and LAC review records should already be available on those young people currently Looked After and who reach the age of entitlement for leaving care services. Account should be taken of this information when embarking on further needs assessment and Pathway planning to avoid any possible duplication of work.

The Pathway materials i.e. assessment and pathway plan are specific materials which provide a framework to ensure that all relevant areas are covered as part of an overall process of throughcare and aftercare planning and support which are informed by the assessed needs of each young person. The emphasis of this process is on forward planning and should concentrate on how best to support the young person to achieve his / her future goals.

The pathway plan is intended to build upon the care plan, taking account of information already gathered and arrangements made as part of the care planning process. Whilst the young person remains Looked After, the care plan should be used to address the child’s needs while cared for by the HSS Trust. The pathway plan however is the forward plan for the young person concentrating on those issues that are relevant to his / her throughcare process and to his / her longer term future when he / she ceases to be looked after. To this end the pathway plan should build on the young person’s care plan and whilst the young person remains Looked After the care plan stays in place with the Pathway planning sitting alongside the complementary care plan. It is therefore important that the process for making and reviewing both care plans and pathway plans is integrated as part of a coherent approach to the assessment, planning and review arrangements for eligible young people. Once a young person ceases to be Looked After the pathway plan provides the primary framework for future work with the young person. (Reference Table A, Appendix 1 for an overview of the main links between Pathway planning and Looked After materials). Table B, Appendix 2 provides a useful summary of Looked After materials and information records that are already in place for looked after young people who become eligible for the provisions of the Children (Leaving Care) Act.