3.13.2 Pathway Plans |
AMENDMENT
This chapter was amended in October 2011 to reflect the Care Leavers (England) Regulations 2010 and Planning Transition to Adulthood for Care Leavers Guidance; in particular in relation to the content and reviews of the Pathway Plan.
See also Leaving Care Procedure
Contents
Purpose
“ The Pathway Plan should be pivotal to the process whereby young people map out their future, articulating their aspirations and identifying interim goals along the way to realising their ambitions. It will also play a critical part in making the new arrangements contained within the Act work”.
“ The Authority should work to ensure that the plan is owned by the young person and is able to respond to their changing needs and ambitions. It should look ahead at least as far as the young person’s 21st birthday and will be in place beyond that where the young person is in a programme of education or training which takes them past that age”.
Department of Health Guidance on the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000
1. Pathway Plans and Good Practice
The Pathway Plan should reflect best practice in that:
- Young people must have the option to remain looked after until they are prepared and ready to leave;
- If a young person is looked after, the Pathway Planning should run parallel to the Looked After Materials and any Personal Education Plan, Connexions Plan or other Statutory Plans;
- Pathway Planning should take place early and gradually, recognising the need for structure and stability;
- People with an interest in or involvement in supporting the young person should be involved in the process;
- Pathway Planning should be at the young person’s pace and ensure that young people are fully involved and informed about the options available;
- The Pathway Plan process should be flexible and be able to respond to a young person’s changing needs;
- Real choice is vital, as a young person’s assessment of need will have identified which options will be most suitable and agreeable to the young person;
- LCPA’s must be involved at an early point in order to ensure that they can offer knowledge and help focus the pathway plan process;
- A copy of the plan should be given to the young person, social worker and carer. Consent by the young person must be sought prior to sharing with others.
2. The Looked After Materials and the Pathway Plan
A young person in the looked after system will already have had a needs assessment in order to formulate a Care Plan, and this should form the basis for the assessment required under the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000.
An Eligible Young Person's Pathway Plan should run parallel to the looked after materials. This is because the documents have different purposes. The Pathway Plan should have a particular emphasis on those areas which will require intervention in order to support the young person until s/he reaches the age of 21 or further if s/he is in an agreed programme of education or training.
The Placement Plan for looked after children determines how best the day to day needs of the child can be met during placement.
The Consultation Papers are to support young people and carers in the review process. These can be used as preparation documents for the Pathway Plan reviews and should be used by the Personal Adviser and the young person as interactive tools in preparation for reviews if appropriate.
The Assessment and Action Records aim to encourage communication between all those involved in providing good quality care.
The Care Plan explores current living arrangements and ensures all young people looked after have clearly stated objectives and a strategy for achieving them.
The Pathway Plan is pivotal to the process whereby young people map out their future, articulating their aspirations and identifying interim goals along the way to realising their ambitions. It should be an interactive process that should be owned by the young person, responsive to their changing needs and ambitions, the manner in which the young person’s needs are to be met, when action to implement any aspects of the plan will be carried out and by whom, the arrangements for linking into other existing plans/reviews and review dates. When applicable, risk assessments and contingency planning should be included.Looked After Reviews
For detailed information, see the Looked After Review Procedure.
This is a framework for ensuring that the day-to-day arrangements continue to meet the child’s needs. Also, to ensure that the plan is still appropriate and the work required to meet the objectives is being undertaken
The review should conclude with the Independent Reviewing Officer completing an action plan for the pathway plan process. This should identify roles and responsibilities and the action required in the planning and preparation for the transition to adulthood.
The Pathway Plan Review
See also Section 8, Review of the Pathway Plan below and Leaving Care Procedure: Section 9, Pathway Plan Reviews.
The review framework should be flexible to meet the young person’s ever-changing needs. The plan should be reviewed if requested by the young person or the social worker/Personal Adviser, if there is a change in circumstances which affects the plan, in preparation for the Looked After Review or when a young person is due to leave care and three months after a young person has left care. Otherwise a review should occur within the 6 month statutory framework.
The format of the review should be discussed with the young person and tailored to meet his or her views and needs. While the young person is looked after it should link into the Looked After Review process. When the young person leaves care, the Personal Adviser is responsible for ensuring this statutory process continues and the process should be agreed with the young person.
Although important that the preparation work can begin early, the plan should be completed prior to the young person reaching 16 years 3 months. However, the young person’s other commitments should be taken into account, for example, if the young person is studying for exams. However, authorisation for any delay must be given by the Team Manager.
If the Relevant Young Person or Former Relevant Young Person moves to 'unregulated' accommodation (i.e. accommodation that is not regulated/inspected by OFSTED), the Local Authority must:
- Arrange a review 28 days (or as soon as practicable thereafter) from the time the accommodation is provided, and
- Determine at what intervals (not exceeding six months) subsequent reviews will be carried out.
- Reviews should be brought forward where there is an assessed risk that a crisis may develop in a young person's life, for example:
- Where a young person has been charged with an offence and there is a possibility of their being sentenced to custody, which will risk losing their accommodation
- Where a young person is at risk of being evicted from his or her accommodation or otherwise threatened with homelessness
- Where professionals are concerned about the parenting capacity of a 'relevant' or Former Relevant' young person with there being a possibility that their own child may need to be the subject of a multi-agency safeguarding plan
- Where a young person requests a review.
3. Linking with other Statutory Frameworks
- For some young people this Pathway Planning may be part of a wider process of care planning and reviews. The social worker should explore linking into the other frameworks, if appropriate.
These are likely to include:
- In education: Personal Education Plans and Connexions Plans, which form the basis of the educational, training and employment Pathway Plan;
- In the criminal justice system:
NB Where a Relevant or Former Relevant young person enters custody, pathway planning must continue. The young person must be visited on a regular basis and it is good practice for the first visit to take place within ten working days. The role must not be fulfilled by a YOT worker. The Local Authority must liaise with the YOT or Probation Service to support the young person emotionally, practically and financially while in custody. A review of the Pathway Plan should be carried out at least a month before the young person's release to give sufficient time to plan for his or her resettlement, including identifying suitable accommodation where the young person's placement had to be given up or has been lost and identifying who will collect the young person and the sources of support after his or her release.
The Probation Service's Supervision Plan, which is reviewed between 3 to 4 months, with the first Supervision Plan being completed within 15 days of sentencing. This follows the National Standards for the Supervision of Offenders in the Community.
The Youth Offending Team’s Asset Plans for Supervision Orders, Community Punishment Orders, Referral Orders, Reparation Orders and Detention and Training Orders under the Criminal Justice Act; - In the mental health service:
Care Planning through the Community Programme Approach, under the Community Care Act, 1990; - In the services for young people with disabilities:
The Oxfordshire Integrated Assessment.
4. Responsibility for Coordinating the Pathway Plan
- While an Eligible Young Person the social worker holds the responsibility, with huge input from the Leaving Care Team;
- When the young person leaves care as a Relevant or Former Relevant Young Person the Leaving Care Team holds the responsibility.
5. What should be Addressed
- The young person’s health and development;
- The young person’s needs for education, training or employment;
- The support available from family and other relationships;
- The young person’s financial needs;
- The extent to which the young person possesses the practical and other skills necessary for independent living;
- The young person’s needs for care and support; and
- Housing.
6. Whom to Involve
A flexible and creative approach, which actively engages with young people themselves, will help ensure that the eventual plan is realistic and likely to be met. Practical assistance, including travel or subsistence costs, should be provided to help young people attend meetings and ensure the process is young-person friendly. Information to young people should be presented in a way that is suitable and meets any special needs they may have.
The views and wishes of the young person should be central to the decision about whose views are taken into account, especially on who to involve. Others appropriate people to think about involving should include: parents or anyone with parental responsibility, carers, a representative from school, college, an independent visitor, GP, the Personal Adviser or anyone else whom the responsible authority or the young person considers relevant. However, it should be recognised that it may not be possible to meet all their wishes.
A copy of the written needs assessment statement should be given to the young person and all those consulted during the assessment process (with the consent of the young people involved). The looked after materials form the basis of the assessment.
7. Content of the Pathway Plan
- The young person’s health and development;
- The young person's needs for education, training and employment including the plan for the young person's continuing education or training when he/she ceases to be looked after - where the young person is no longer of statutory school age, the Pathway Plan may need to incorporate the goals and actions that were previously included in the PEP;
- How the Local Authority will assist the young person in obtaining employment or other purposeful activity or occupation, taking into account his/her aspirations, skills and educational potential;
- The support available from family, friends and other relationships;
- The young person’s financial needs;
- The extent to which the young person possesses the practical and other skills necessary for independent living;
- The young person’s needs for care, support and housing;
- Details of the accommodation the young person is to occupy (including an assessment of its suitability in the light of the young person's needs, and details of the considerations taken into account in assessing that suitability);
- The financial support to be provided to enable the young person to meet accommodation and maintenance costs; taking into account his/her financial capabilities and money-management capacity, along with strategies to develop skills in this area;
- Developing a young person’s confidence and their taking responsibility for their own life and health, including management of specific health conditions;
- The young person’s communication and interpersonal skills;
- The young person’s educational and social progress;
- The young person’s mental and emotional health including depression and conduct disorder;
- The young person’s ability to recognise and cope with physical and emotional changes associated with puberty;
- The nature and level of contact and personal support to be provided, and by whom, to the young person;
- Details of the arrangements made by the Responsible Local Authority to meet the young person's needs in relation to his or her identity, with particular regard to their religious persuasion, racial origin and cultural and linguistic background;
- The young person’s understanding of sexual issues and their roles in relationships; contraception, sexually transmitted diseases and the risk in early sexual activity;
- The young person’s lifestyle, including diet and physical activity;
- Accessing information and advice about health issues, including alcohol, tobacco and other substance use and accessing advice on modifying health-risk behaviour;
- Ensuring immunisations are up to date.
The process of assessment should be streamlined as far as practical with any special assessments required (i.e. due to disability or issues of identity, self-esteem, mental health or parenting skills)
7.1 Personal Support
The arrangements for contact frequency and contact details must be recorded. Although the social worker/Personal Adviser will have a central link role, it is very likely that there will be other people providing the young person with personal support. Therefore, it is important that the roles and responsibilities of all people involved are made clear both in the Pathway Plan and at subsequent reviews.
The extended family, role of substitute carers and social networks should always be considered and the action required in sustaining such relationships. In addition identified needs and action regarding culture, ethnicity, family and community support must be recorded here.
Transition to adult services, personal assistance, direct payments, specialist equipment for those who require it should also be included here.
In this section include immigration issues, including status, contact details and liaison with solicitor and immigration, identification of young person's home country and spoken languages, NGO contact details if appropriate. In addition for those whose future in the country is uncertain, parallel planning should occur.
The provision of information to the young person on the Leaving Care Service and making them aware of their rights, especially under the complaints procedures, independent visitors and access to advocates needs to be covered in this section.
7.2 Family and Social Relationships
The Pathway Plan should always include consideration of the core and extended family, the role of substitute carers and social networks
Pathway Plans should explore sources of informal support and a young person’s ability to make and sustain such relationships.
Every effort should be made to combat social isolation and to enable young people to strengthen their resistance to exploitation by others. The Pathway Plan should include interventions by the Leaving Care Team.
7.3 Accommodation
See also Leaving Care Procedure: Section 15, Staying Put.
The needs assessment should have identified what specific assistance a young person will need in relation to accommodation and what types of accommodation are suitable to meet their needs.
Three months prior to leaving care those in need of housing must be assessed through the housing joint protocol arrangements. This should ensure they receive statutory homeless status and are identified in the accommodation panel to enable coordinated planning. All young people should be encouraged to complete the general housing register.
It is important to:
- Encourage young people to remain in care until aged 18;
- Ensure carers and young people are given information on the housing options and understand the housing providers service aims and expectations;
- Complete fully the housing applications and assessments, encourage the young person to be involved and undertake active liaison during selection and allocation stages;
- Prepare the young person for assessments and interviews so that they understand the process, the housing provision/support and think about the information they wish to share;
- Check out their understanding of the application process (including whether they require support to attend appointments;
- Liaison with the housing departments//providers at each stage (especially when moving in, settling in, any concerns);
- Ensure they are aware of tenure responsibility and the consequences of breaching tenures (i.e. formal warnings, evictions and intentional homeless status);
- Avoid moving young people who are settled unless it is unavoidable, offers clear advantages in terms of moving or there are budget considerations;
- Assess the young people’s needs and prepare them for any move (including who is available to support them in the practical move);
- Where practicable, offer a choice in the type and location of accommodation;
- Review the plan at least three months after a move and one month if moved from being a looked after child;
- Identify if a support package is required to support the accommodation;
- Have a contingency plan in case the proposed accommodation breaks down and a risk assessment and management plan for those identified.
Matters to which the Local Authority is to have regard in determining suitability of accommodation (under Schedule 2 to the Care Leavers Regulations 2010 and Schedule 6 of the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review Regulations 2010):
- In respect of the accommodation:
- The facilities and services provided;
- The state of repair;
- The safety;
- The location;
- The support;
- The tenancy status; and
- The financial commitments involved for the relevant young person and their affordability.
- In respect of the Relevant Young Person:
- His or her views about the accommodation;
- His or her understanding of their rights and responsibilities in relation to the accommodation; and
- His or her understanding of funding arrangements.
7.4. Education, Employment and Training
The Personal Education Plan should form the basis of the education, training and employment section of the pathway plan.
It is important:
- To reflect the young person’s educational needs, potential and aspirations;
- To identify the young person’s achievements and attributes;
- To chat with the young person about the difference between school and college;
- To check out the young person is aware of the different qualifications and entry levels;
- To record contact with the school/college and monitoring arrangements;
- To identify any additional support required, especially for exams, transport, equipment and special needs;
- To detail the action and support identified to encourage the NEET young people into reaching their potential;
- To record in the outcome sections any interventions undertaken to resolve difficulties or overcome;
- That the young person knows where to access help if things are going wrong;
- To identify assistance and funding and the support/process for accessing these, including contact details;
- If the young person's future in the country is unknown, to explore options that include contingency planning;
- To identify the work which needs to be done to increase a young person’s employability and how to support them (i.e. Connexions, REACH UP, RAISE);
- To ensure they are aware of their employee rights;
- To establish whether the young person knows how to apply for jobs, and what their interview skills are and expectations around conduct at work;
- For those who will be eligible to claim benefits, that they are aware of the process, expectations and have the relevant documentation. It is important to identify those who require support in the application process, especially the interview.
7.5 Practical and Personal Independent Skills
Practical and other skills: Pathway Planning must demonstrate a holistic approach, attaching equal importance to practical, emotional, and interpersonal skills.Self-care skills: personal hygiene, diet, health, sexual health
Practical skills: budgeting, shopping, cooking, cleaning
Resilience skills: self esteem, identity, communication, negotiation, problem-solving, interpersonal, understanding and identifying with others, exploring and managing feelings, action planning and reviewing
7.6 Financial Support
Young people need to develop skills in money management, especially rent, council tax, paying bills, food and living expenses, opening bank accounts, bank cards, savings accounts and borrowing money.
Ensure the young person is aware of the criteria and process for accessing financial assistance. It is essential to include a step by step breakdown of the processes
Refer to the Financial Guidance for further information
7.7. Health and Leisure
It is important to ensure that the Health Action Plan (HAP) informs the Pathway Plan health section. The CLA Health Liaison Nurse is willing to undertake assessments for care leavers and be a point of contact for professionals seeking advice or problem solving with health providers.
This section should include
- Understanding how to access local primary healthcare services;
- Help in maintaining/developing a healthy lifestyle;
- Help in accessing specialist help and therapeutic services;
- Help in pursuing leisure interests;
- Personal safety.
8. Review of Pathway Plan
See also Leaving Care Procedure: Section 9, Pathway Plan Reviews.
The purpose is to check that the goals and milestones are still right and that they are being met. An analysis of all support levels should be reviewed to ensure they are adequate and delivered according to plan. The planning should be flexible and sensitive to any problems and acknowledge the right of the young person to return for support.
The review framework should be flexible to meet the young person’s ever- changing needs. The plan should be reviewed if requested by the young person or the social worker/Personal Adviser, if a change in circumstances affects the plan, in preparation for the Looked After Review or when a young person is due to leave care and at least three months after a young person has left care. Otherwise a review should occur within the 6 month statutory framework.
The format of the review should be discussed with the young person and tailored to meet their views and needs. While the young person is looked after, it should link into the Looked After Review process. When the young person leaves care, the Personal Adviser is responsible to ensure this statutory process continues and the process should be agreed with the young person.
9. How to Complete a Pathway Plan
Although the case manager has the responsibility for ensuring the Pathway Plan is complete they can negotiate with other significant people to complete relevant sections. It is expected that the Leaving Care Personal Adviser will be the major player in the completion of the Pathway Plan with the young person. However, the case manager has to oversee the plan and agree to the action plan.
The Pathway Plan can be completed gradually and the approach should be flexible to meet the needs of the individual. The sections should be completed in order of the young person’s priority needs, which should be discussed with them.
It should be an interactive process and owned by the young person. If appropriate, with guidance and discussion, they should be encouraged to complete sections of the plan. This could then form the discussion in the completion of the action planning section.
If the young person refuses to complete the Pathway Plan, the social worker and Leaving Care Personal Adviser should complete the action plan section of the Pathway Plan, as s/he should have a good insight the young person’s essential support needs and action required.
The action plan section should be completed by the social worker/Personal Adviser and must include the target, links with other plans, agreed action, who supports, how and when and the outcome achieved.
While the young person is looked after, the plan must be shared with the social worker and carers. Once a young person ceases to be looked after, they should be encouraged to share their plan and if they refuse the barriers should be explored in case the service needs to review practice to overcome these blocks.
A copy of the Pathway Plan and subsequent reviews should be held in the young person's file and the Personal Adviser should send a copy of all plans and reviews to the Leaving Care Administrator to ensure authorisation from the Team Manager and Service Manager occurs.
10. Risk Indicators and Contingency Planning
Any possible risks in reaching agreed goals should be discussed with the young person and contingency arrangements should be in place. These should identify risk indicators and potential difficulties young people may face and include the appropriate support. Contingency planning should be flexible and sensitive to any problems and acknowledge the right of young people to return for support. The risk assessment should be placed on the young person’s file.
11. What if the Young Person does not want Support or a Pathway Plan
If after informing the young person about the advice, assistance and support available to them they do not want support or a Pathway Plan the following should be covered with them:
- Is there a way forward for overcoming their reasons for not wanting support?
- Is there another professional who supports them that they would like to be approached about taking on the role of a Personal Adviser?
- To assess how their weekly allowance should be paid and keeping in touch arrangements to oversee their economic status (they have to remain in contact at least every three weeks if they are to receive an allowance), to monitor their welfare and, if they are seeking or in employment, to provide them with information about the advice, assistance and support available, especially the financial entitlements;
- The social worker/Personal Adviser must complete the action plan section of the Pathway Plan, as s/he has an insight into the young person’s needs. It is important to send the young person a copy if the contact details are known;
- To explain that any financial assistance over and above the weekly allowance or rent payment can only be given if identified in a Pathway Plan. To inform him or her that a minimum of one-month contact must occur to ensure the young person is still eligible for financial assistance;
- To inform them that we have a duty to provide support, advice and assistance and, if they change their mind before they are aged 21, give them the contact details of the Leaving Care Team;
- To inform them that we have a duty to keep in touch and to negotiate an agreement for this to occur and identify within a Pathway Plan.
12. Keeping in Touch
The nature of contact with the young person is likely to be specified in the Pathway Plan. This could mean face to face contact, contact by telephone, letter, e-mail or a combination of these methods. Where contact is through e-mail or letters, a response of some form must have been received from the young person in order for this type of contact to qualify as being in touch.
If the young person has responded by saying that they have no desire to supply us with information and do not want to be contacted again this is still counted as being in touch if the communication took place within three months before or one month after their 19th birthday.
Contact through a third party is acceptable if you are satisfied that this represents a genuine exchange of information between the care leaver and ourselves.
Contact through a third party who is working with the care leaver in a professional capacity is classified as in touch.
If contact with a young person is lost, reasonable steps should be taken to re-establish contact, especially with those who are within the definition of Relevant Young People. It is important that a young person’s wishes are respected and that attempts to maintain or re-establish contact is not perceived as harassment, but to convey an interest in their well being. Where it is not possible to establish such an understanding the Personal Adviser will have to balance the risk of alienating the young person with the need to maintain contact. The Personal Adviser should persevere with six monthly attempts to contact even if the young person remains unresponsive, while respecting the young person’s right to be unresponsive.
13. Comments and Dealing with Disputes
If the young person or other significant people have concerns about the services they receive they should
- Be reminded of the independent advocacy service;
- Initially discuss this with their social worker/Personal Adviser;
- If there are still concerns the young person should have the opportunity to have access to an independent advocacy service;
- The responsible authority must put the concerns in writing and submit it to the complaints officer;
- If an acceptable solution is not reached in an informal resolution within 14 days the full complaints procedure should be activated.
14. Programme for Children and Young People for Development of Financial Management Skills
The programme was designed by the Eastern Region Care Leavers network to assist staff in meeting their roles and responsibilities in preparing children and young people for independence and for managing their own finances.
| Competence | Skills | Process | Location | Timescale | |
Awareness of living costs and value of everyday items |
Recognition of money Basic numeracy Literacy Understanding needs and wants Understanding concept of saving Ability to make a purchase |
Education Life skills programme Assessment and Action Record |
School Residential/ foster placement Independent living placement |
Progressive competence programme commencing at age of 5 Link to national curriculum Link to Statutory Reviews Skills assessed at ages of 11 and 15 Link to Pathway Plan |
|
| Budgeting | Ability to plan expenditure Ability to manage savings account Ability to manage within resources available |
Planning basic budgets Understanding loans Understanding consequences of financial decisions Ability to shop Knowing where to shop Understanding promotions and selling techniques Knowledge of saving schemes |
Education
Life skills programme Assessment and Action Record Leaving care guide |
School Residential/ foster placement Independent living placement |
Progressive competence programme commencing at age of 11 Skills assessed at 15 years Link to Pathway Plan |
| Financial skills | Ability to identify relevant sources of income Ability to access funds Ability to safeguard money |
Understanding of financial statements Ability to pay a bill Understanding credit/debit transactions Ability to open/close account Managing standing orders Ability to negotiate financial imbalance Knowledge how to access specialist advice Knowledge of methods to protect assets and information |
Work experience Group work Structured interviews Assessment and Action Record Life skills programme Professional consultation Leaving care guide |
Workplace Education setting Independent living placement Residential/ foster placement Specialist courses |
Progressive competence programme commencing at age of 11 Skills assessed at 15 years Link to Pathway Plan |
15. Financial Training Requirements for Staff and Carers
The programme was designed by the Eastern Region Care Leavers network to assist staff in meeting their roles and responsibilities in preparing children and young people for independence and for managing their own finances.
| Age Range | Milestones | Staff/carer competencies | Input |
| 10-12 | Recognise money Numeracy at Key Stage 2 Literacy at Key Stage 2 Ability to make a purchase Manage pocket money Understand concept of actions an consequences |
Commitment to independence training for young person Create opportunities for learning Understanding of individual care planning processes Understanding of individual education support programmes Create opportunities for young person to practice Conduct structured discussions |
Life experiences Adult education programmes Education tools Community information Support group Link worker |
| 13-14 | Differentiate needs and wants Ability to save Understand loans Knowledge of simple saving schemes |
Conduct complex discussions Create opportunities for developing skills Undertake risk assessment Manage transfer of responsibility appropriately Access information relating to financial management |
Community information Educational tools Assertiveness training Risk assessment training Support group |
| 15 | Numeracy at Key Stage 3 Literacy at key Stage 3 Ability to shop Ability to budget Manage saving account Understand concept of borrowing and lending |
Knowledge of requirements of Care Leaving Act Undertake assessment of needs Work as member of team identified within the Pathway Negotiate on behalf of young person Respond appropriately to complaints made by young person |
Link worker Activity based training |
| 16 | Understands bank account Understands concepts of interest Understands promotion and selling techniques Understands concept of insurance Understands concept of fraud |
Access specialist financial advice/assistance Knowledge of legal requirements underpinning personal finance |
Activity based training Specialist advisors |
| 17+ | Manages personal finances | Share management of financial responsibilities appropriately Knowledge of criminal compensation process |
End