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Contents

1. Criteria for Agreement
2. Issues to Consider
3. Process

1. Criteria for Agreement

• Young people aged 18+ in full time further education (from the date of their eighteenth birthday until the end of the academic year only) NB! Where a young person meets the criteria for extended foster payments and is due to go to university in the following academic year foster care payments may be extended from the end of the summer term to the date the young person starts university;
• Vulnerable young adults with a learning disability  and or serious mental health problem who do not meet the threshold for adult services

2. Issues to Consider

• Is placement age appropriate?
• What would be the roles and responsibilities of the carer for post 18 particularly in relation to preparation for independence;
• Has supported lodgings been considered. If so reasons why foster care more appropriate;
• Any financial implications (i.e. level of payment, young person's own income, expectations re. contributions, clothes etc);
• Details of other support needs and how these will be met;
• Young person's views and commitment to placement;
• Timescales for extending placement.

3. Process

• SW/LCPA/Link Worker Family Placement identify young person's need to remain in placement with foster carers placement post 18 via Care Planning/Pathway Plan reviews. This must be done at least six months before the young person reaches 18;
• SW forwards details of Care Plan and request to TM and relevant ASM for approval;
• TM forwards request to SM Fostering;
• SM makes recommendation and forwards to Fran Fonseca for final decision;
• If approved social worker/LCPA informs Pat Lemke of decision to extend foster care payments and the timescale for this;
• Service Manager sends out letter to staff/carers to inform them of decision.

Procedures for supporting carers and young people in post 18 placements

Young people's needs differ according to need and in recognition of this the following can only act as a supplementary guide to professional judgement. However, there are certain principles that must apply to all:

Payments

Children and young people cease care at 18. However  the law allows for children to remain in placement until 20.

However the following principles apply:

• Placements will be funded at the same rate, although young people are expected to contribute to this where possible. This runs contrary to most other guidance but it has always felt unreasonable for  carers to experience what is effectively a pay cut;
• Young people should claim benefits, housing and job seekers if the young person is not at work;
• For those at work they will be expected to make a contribution;
• The supervising social worker and the LCPA are responsible, under the guidance of finance, to make these deductions;
• LCPA's are expected, as part of their statutory duties under the leaving care act to help young people sort out their benefits.

Supervising social worker
Carers will continue to have a supervising social worker who will undertake an assessment on the carer's skills/ability to undertake the task, preparation for independence. This report will be presented to the review and submitted along with the application for the continuation of the placement

Young people who meet the criteria for adult placement
It is expected that any young person who meets the eligibility criteria for adult placement should transfer at 18. These procedures do not affect this group of carers

Respite care
For those young people who are staying on in care

• To complete their education respite would not normally be available. The expectation would be that young people are allowed to have the door key, come and go, within reason, as they, stay up when their carers go to bed and have friends round to the house etc.;
• And do not meet the criteria for transfer to adult placement but are deemed vulnerable because of significant mental health and or moderate difficulties, respite could be considered on a 6 weekly basis,( 1weekend in 6). Respite could be arranged with the young person's friends but should be arranged with their supervising social worker and LCPA  so that the amount in use, the quality and any payments can be monitored. It is important to note that these apply to young people who are deemed too vulnerable to survive in supported living placements.

The task
It is important for all carers to become familiar with the tasks that will prepare children and young people for independence since this is part of the new Ofsted guidance for appropriate care and part of the fostering standards. The purpose of foster care is, amongst other things, to provide a safe and nurturing learning environment where children and young people can develop the skills they need for life

Guidance on appropriate milestones can be found in the assessment and action records; materials to assist in assessing and developing personalized action plans can be found Get Ready For Adult Life website or link via Leaving Care website
The carers standards  also have guidance on preparation for independence

Review

Post 18, the LCPA will be responsible for reviewing the placement alongside the SSW. The LCPA is responsible for ensuring that follow on provision is in place on the date that extended foster payments cease to avoid any gap in provision.

Alternative options

To be considered in the following circumstances:

• The young person does not meet the criteria for extended foster payments post 18;
• The young person does not wish to remain in foster care provision;
• Follow on provision once extended foster care payments have ceased;
• The YP's needs can not be met in the placement.

A range of options may be considered in these circumstances as outlined in the attached Leaving Care guidance

NB! If the plan for a young person changes SW/PA must inform SM Fostering.

End