Pathway Plan Incorporating Needs Assessment

Person Name: Annlee Wright Person ID: 123245 (name & identifying details changed)

Example of a

Pathway Plan incorporating needs assessment

Core information

All about me

Name Date of Birth Gender

Annlee Wright 04.01.1999 Female

Ethnicity Religion Disabled

Dual heritage - Christian No

White British Non-practising

& Black Caribbean / Antigua

Address

22 Brook Road

SW18 4RZ

Communication needs

Annlee has no special communication needs and is both fluent and literate in English as her first language. Annlee is well able to express herself and is a good communicator. Annlee prefers to keep in touch by phone, text and face to face contact. She does have an active email account which she also uses daily, sending and replying to emails within a day. She uses Facebook with friends.

Current placement Leaving care status

Mrs Andrews LBS foster carer Care Order 06.06.2003

Short term foster care with plan for long term fostering

If you do not have the following documentation, it is important to make sure that the details of the person with this information are included in the section below.

Birth certificate Passport NI number

Annlee Social worker AA-875959

Further copy with SW

Professional involvement

Social Worker

Celia Parker Practice Group 41 – Care Service

Independent Reviewing Officer

Joanne Brooks

Professional relationships

Name / Designation / Agency / Phone / Email
Linda Andrews / Foster Carer / LBS / 0207 666 0000 /
Sylvia Roberts / SSW / LBS / 0207 525 1111 /
Brian Townley / Education Adviser / LBS / 0207 525
2222 /
Susan Hawkins / Social Worker / LBS
Carelink / 00000000 /
Tracey Brown / LAC Nurse / LBS / 00000000 /
Melanie Atkins / Independent Visitor / Ex-Barnardos / 0208 555 6666 / Via

Pathway Plan, Consultation and Aims

When was this plan made/updated? Name of person completing plan:

Plan made: 31.12.2014 Celia Parker, Social Worker

Consultation

This plan was made in consultation primarily with Annlee and her foster carer Mrs Andrews during discussions separately and together. Annlee does not want her mother to be consulted because they are estranged (see summary below). Annlee does not know her father (see summary below). Annlee’s younger brother Lewis (age 15), also has a social worker and his circumstances have been taken into account (see summary below) but he has not been consulted. Telephone consultation has taken place with all the professionals in the network above and their views taken into account.

Views of Annlee

Annlee has lived with Mrs Andrews for eight months and would like to remain with her in the short term although she does not see herself “staying put” in foster care post 18. Annlee is keen to live more independently and recognises that she needs help to develop independence skills. She likes the idea of semi-independence in which she might have her own bedsit or bedroom and share facilities with others and have access to staff/adult support on the premises. She feels this would be a good first planned step towards independence once she leaves school.

Views of parents/others with parental responsibility

See summary below.

Views of other professionals

Mrs Andrews would like Annlee to remain with her if this is what she wants and “provided she understands and accepts the terms and agreement around boundaries in the placement”. She feels Annlee is mature enough to embark on a planned move into a staffed semi-independent unit post secondary education. She does worry about her emotional vulnerability and thinks it would be best if Annlee had a settled period in education before such a move took place.

All professionals agree that Annlee has had a difficult time in the last 6 months which has affected her education and increased her emotionally vulnerable.

Overall aim

This is a needs assessment to inform a Pathway Plan for Annlee’s transition to adulthood as a care leaver. I have been Annlee’s social worker for nearly 10 years and we both consider we have a good relationship and are able to talk openly together about the difficulties she has experienced in her life, her strengths and the skills she needs to develop further so she can begin to move towards independence. Annlee looks forward to a future where she is no longer a child in care but at the same time she welcomes social work support. The overall outcomes we hope for are:

·  Annlee feels she has a home that is safe and belongs to her

·  Annlee achieves her full potential in education

·  Annlee gets a job she enjoys where she can achieve career success

·  Annlee enjoys good physical and emotional health

·  Annlee has positive relationships with friends, family and neighbours

·  Annlee enjoys meaningful activities

For reasons outlined in the summary, Annlee’s priority is to have a home of her own. She would love a career in the music industry and in the future she sees herself with a partner and children of her own.

Summary of the reasons for being in care

Annlee’s mother struggled to provide the kind of care her children needed on a consistent basis, often leaving her daughter in the care of others. Between the age of six months and three years Annlee had seven foster placements. The local authority worked with Annlee’s mother to help her understand the importance of consistent and predictable carers in their lives. This work was not successful and so Annlee and her brother Lewis were permanently separated from their mother on 12.11. 2002, with a plan for adoption.

At the age of six, Annlee and Lewis (then aged five), were placed for adoption with Ms Carla Renshaw, a single adopter in Milton Keynes. This adoptive placement disrupted before any application was made. Ms Renshaw began a new partner relationship and no longer saw a future for herself and the children as an adoptive family. In spite of work undertaken, the placement came to an abrupt end when Annlee was nine and Lewis eight. This was very distressing for everyone concerned. Annlee and Lewis were placed in short term foster care where they remained for the next two years and it was during this time that I became the allocated social worker.

Following the adoption breakdown Annlee’s mother, Rita Farrow, was contacted and it was explained that the plan for her children had now changed from adoption to long term fostering. Ms Farrow asked to be allowed to see the children and at one point expressed an interest in their returning to her care.

Following assessment and preparation, Annlee and Lewis resumed contact, during school holidays, with Ms Farrow, her partner and their three younger half-siblings. As this was developing reasonably well an overnight visit was planned for Christmas 2010. A few days before the planned stay Ms Farrow changed her mind saying that she found Annlee and Lewis’s behaviour too difficult to manage. It was suggested as an alternative that the children might visit for a couple of hours with support provided but Ms Farrow felt unable to consider this. She did not respond to cards sent by Annlee or approaches from social workers and there was no further contact. The reasons for her sudden and dramatic change of heart remain unknown. Needless to say this was difficult and distressing for Annlee.

In addition Annlee was not happy in her new foster placement. It was not a good cultural match and she felt herself to be treated differently from the foster carers birth children. School were worried about the placement too reporting that Annlee came to school ill prepared and wearing unsuitable clothes.

While plans were being made for Annlee to move the foster carers gave notice and resigned. Annlee moved back to her former foster carer Ann Wiltshire, the carer she had lived with before her move to adoption. She had been happy in this placement and was pleased to be living there again.

Annlee and Lewis, by this time aged 10 and 9, needed permanence in a long-term foster placement. Unfortunately, Ann Wiltshire and her husband felt they were too old to be able to commit to caring for the children on a long-term basis. As an alternative Annlee moved, with Lewis, to a newly opened, small residential unit run by Barnardo’s in Lewisham where they were the oldest by some margin. This placement provided them with the stability they needed to develop a good understanding of their circumstances and prepare for the move to a permanent family.

Ann Wiltshire had previously been the child-minder for the children of Mr. and Mrs Mason and through this connection the Masons had got to know Annlee and Lewis. They applied to be foster carers and following assessment and preparation Annlee and Lewis moved in during the Easter following Annlee’s 14th birthday. At the time, there were some reservations expressed about the closeness in age between Mrs Mason’s own daughter and Annlee but no reservations about the placement for Lewis. A support plan was devised and the Masons were able to access specialist support from CAMHS Carelink as well as the Barnardo’s team.

Annlee’s placement with the Masons in Greenwich disrupted on 29.06.2014 following a downturn in stability over the preceding month and acting out behaviour by Annlee – two days truanting and 3 weekend incidents of being substantially late home (between midnight and 2 a.m.). Mr. and Mrs Mason felt unable to manage this as working foster carers with their own daughter just six months younger than Annlee.

At this point, Annlee moved back to Southwark to live with her current carer, Mrs Andrews, while Lewis stayed with the Masons. She travelled to school in Greenwich daily for the rest of Year 10. In July Annlee told Mrs Andrews and me that she was three months pregnant and this pregnancy effectively ended Annlee’s secondary education. Sadly the baby died in the womb and Annlee was induced to have a stillbirth on 15.10.2014. Mrs Andrews was present and supported Annlee through this and I supported her with the funeral arrangements. Since living back in Southwark Annlee has been seeing Susan Hawkins from Carelink to help her come to terms with the loss of her baby.

The last 6 months have been a traumatic time and this summary explains why Ms Farrow has not been consulted and why she has not played a part in statutory reviews or PEPs for more than five years. Annlee does not want her mother involved at this time in her life.

Annlee knows and understands the full reasons for being in care and she has a life story book and a photograph album. Although Annlee wishes things had been different she does not blame herself for being in care and she has said that life story work has helped her to understand her story and increased her confidence. Sharing this history with Lewis is helpful too. Annlee has never known her father but she knows that we traced him and corresponded with him. She knows the names and dates of birth of her paternal half siblings and that her father made a decision, with his wife, not to get involved based on his own feelings about Annlee’s mother. Annlee would like to know more about her father and siblings but feels she has to respect the decision he’s made.

Annlee would like review records to indicate that “she was brought up in care because things did not go according to plan with family involved”. She does not want very personal and difficult issues to be raised repeatedly . Annlee enjoys the continuity of her ex residential worker as an Independent Visitor.

Legal and status issues

Current legal status

Annlee has been in care continuously since 12.11.2002 and on a Care Order from 30.10.2003. She is living in a short term LBS foster placement and has no contact with parents. She is a British Citizen and has never come to the attention of the police.

There are no needs that require a plan to address legal or status issues.

Young person’s development needs

Health & development needs

Date of last health assessment

15.07.2014

Details of last SDQ

31.12.2014

See emotional and behavioural development needs

Summary of relevant health information details of last Health Assessment

At the last medical Annlee was fit and well as she has been throughout her life. She has no conditions, is normally very well indeed with all immunisations up to date including rubella and HPV for teenage girls. Annlee has a good appetite and eats nutritious meals regularly and is of average weight for height. She looks after her hair, skin, teeth and eyes, being registered with GP, dentist and optician and all checks up-to-date. Annlee takes pride in her appearance and enjoys having her hair and nails done. Annlee does not routinely smoke cigarettes but on occasion will join friends to smoke, which is generally discouraged by adults in her life. Annlee does not ordinarily drink alcohol and when we have discussed drink and drugs, she has taken the view that this is not something she is inclined to want to do.

Annlee has received information about sex, sexual health, relationships, pregnancy and contraception. As detailed above, earlier this year Annlee’s unplanned pregnancy ended in the death of her baby in utero - an event that was traumatic for Annlee.

Assessment of needs and plan to meet needs including outstanding actions from last Health Plan

Action required / Timescale/frequency / By whom / Planned outcome/update
1.  Supported appointment with LAC nurse for discussion/provision of contraception. / Appointment 15.01.2015 / Annlee and
Social Worker / Prevention of unplanned pregnancy
2.  Next health assessment to include discussion of how to register with new GP, dentist & optician when necessary. / July 2015 / Annlee
and Social Worker / Learn how to change health professionals if necessary in transition to adulthood.
3.  Continued sessions with Susan Hawkins / Fortnightly / Annlee and Carelink / Bereavement counselling to promote emotional wellbeing.
Needs / Outcomes / T/scale / Work to be done / Plan
To be able to recognise when she is unwell/needs medical help and to know how to use the health service. / Annlee has described situations that might rise where she would need to seek help and advice. Annlee has described where she would go to get the advice. / 3 months / Four sessions with Annlee to talk about the range of health problems that might arise and the practicalities of getting help and advice. / Social worker and Annlee to meet every Thursday for the next month
To manage her fertility well / Annlee has decided what type of contraception would suit her best. Annlee has reported that she feels in control of her fertility. / 2 months / Two sessions to discuss and arrange contraception and pregnancy planning. / LAC nurse to arrange sessions with teenage pregnancy planning service and support Annlee with attendance.
To reduce the impact of the death of her baby and the operation that followed on her emotional well being / Annlee has said that she spends less time thinking about the baby and the operation. Annlee reports she is happy more often than she is sad. / On-going / One to one sessions with a trusted professional to talk about loss and grief generally and in relation to the death of the baby. / Susan Hawkins from Carelink to continue her work with Annlee for as long as they both feel it’s helpful.

Education, employment and training needs