Moving Towards Independence

Developing skills for independence should start at a very early age and build towards the skills and abilities needed for young people to live independently. Children are to be supported to develop their independence in line with their individual needs, while protecting themselves from being in unsafe situations or with unsafe people. You will receive training and support to help you provide effective guidance. This chapter looks at what should be in place for preparing for independence from the age of 16 and above and what support a young person can receive post 18.

Regardless of the age of the young person, they need to develop skills so that they can become as independent as possible and should be encouraged to take responsibilities when they are able to do so. However, when a young person reaches 16, we recognise that caring for them can and should start to look a bit different.  We have listed the areas below where things can start to change:

Education

Young people are expected to be in some form of education or training until they are 18 and we hope/expect all young people to be engaged in education, training, or employment and would expect 16+ foster carers to support them with this process and attend any appointments as appropriate. There would also be the expectation to liaise and communicate with their school/college. To support the young person with homework/exam revision.  

Transport

Most young people aged 16+ can travel independently on public transport. However, the young person may need support on occasions with transporting to health and general appointments or perhaps to get to see family members for contact. 16+ foster carers may also be asked to support young people to understand timetables and how and where to access public transport.

Household chores

Young people are expected to keep their own bedroom clean and tidy. In living areas, they are expected to contribute toward keeping the home clean and tidy and clearing up after themselves. By the time young people have reached 16+ in placement, they should be used to being asked to do more in terms of contributing toward household chores such as filling/empty the dishwasher/lay/clear the table/ hoovering and cleaning and should know how to operate a washing machine and manage their own laundry.

Health

16+ foster carers are expected to register young people with GP/dentists/opticians and if necessary they may need to support a young person making and attending and appointment. They also may be asked to support young people to self-medicate/look after medication as appropriate.

Like adults, young people (aged 16 or 17) are presumed to have sufficient capacity to decide on their own medical treatment, unless there's significant evidence to suggest otherwise.

Children under the age of 16 can consent to their own treatment if they're believed to have enough intelligence, competence and understanding to fully appreciate what's involved in their treatment. This is known as being Gillick competent.

Money

16+ foster carers could be asked to support a young person to open a Bank/Building society account if they do not already have one and to budget their finances as well as teach them to save money for a rainy day.

16+ foster carers should be giving the young person pocket money which is in line with them being older and agreed with the young person’s social worker but should also be actively encouraging the young people to consider seeking some part time work to increase financial awareness and independence. Once the young person reaches 18, they will be expected to contribute financially to their keep once they have finished school/ college and a small amount would need to be taken out of their income (whether through universal credit or if they have a job). 

Food/ cooking

16+ foster carers should start to consider taking a young person food shopping to get an idea of what sort of things they could buy to cook meals for themselves and what cheaper options are available.

16+ foster carers are expected to teach young people health and safety in the kitchen and support them with food preparation and cooking skills. This should also incorporate healthy options and take into account any cultural or dietary needs of the young person.

Relationships

16+ foster carers will be expected to support young people with their personal relationships and contact with family members but by the age of 16, many young people will be managing their own contact with family members.

Young people age 16+ can legally consent to having sex but if they are 16 and have sex with someone younger than them, this is still illegal and they can be vulnerable to prosecution. Although children over the age of 16 can legally consent to sexual activity, they may still be vulnerable to harm through an abusive sexual relationship. It is important to be sensitive to these relationships and to discuss any concerns you may have with the professionals involved with the young person.

Future planning

16+ foster carers should view this age as a benchmark into further preparation for independent living. It is a time when young people finish their secondary school and move on to college/ further education or training so is a significant time of change for all young people. It is a time where there should be some discussion or consideration starting around what their future looks like in terms of moving on and to consider plans around this.  By this age, the young person’s review meetings should have been considering future accommodation plans, what the potential options are within children’s services, the council and private sector and what support will be offered beyond 18.

Challenges/ Risks you could encounter in particular with this age group:

16+ fostering can feature some challenges and risks for carers which they would not necessarily encounter as much when caring for younger children.  These can include:

• Self-harm;
• Absconding;
• Substance misuse;
• County lines;
• Mental health issues;
• Eating disorders;
• Sexual exploitation;
• Personal relationship difficulties;
• Gang culture;
• 16+ foster carers would have access to their own supervising worker, a support groups targeted at caring for this group of young people as well as the fostering advice line 24 hours a day and an extensive training programme so you would not be managing the challenges alone.

Rewards of caring for young people 16+

• A very competitive Fostering allowance paid weekly;
• Contributing toward enabling young people into further independence;
• Ongoing training, online and face to face;
• Your own supervisor, as well as the whole team who are dedicated to 16+ fostering;
• Regular training evenings;
• Social activities, dinners, picnics etc.;
• Access to the East Sussex Foster Carer Association.

All Young People who are Eligible, Relevant or Former Relevant (see below for definitions) must receive a multi-agency assessment of their needs covering the advice, assistance and support they will need when leaving care.

The young person's social worker will be responsible for coordinating the Needs Assessment.

This assessment should be completed no more than 3 months after the young person's 16th birthday or after the young person becomes Eligible or Relevant if this is later. The young person's Care Plan together with information from other recent assessments will form the basis of the Needs Assessment.

You should support the young person to complete the Skills Journal and be aware of the skills a child will need so that you can be beginning to prepare children with the necessary skills from the age of around 12 years. The Reference Guide (see Skills Journal Folder) will help you.

The Fostering Service will support you to participate in preparing and reviewing the young person's Pathway Plan and, as part of this; you should support the Personal Adviser/children’s social worker to identify the ways in which you can provide practical, financial and emotional support to young people as they become independent.

These tasks and other elements will form a Pathway Plan that in time will replace their Care Plan.

This Pathway Plan will include the educational and employment arrangements support and accommodation plans including financial help.

This doesn’t mean that the young person has to leave your care, as being cared for by you might be an important part of their independence especially if the young person (for example) has a disability or if they are planning on moving to University.

The Pathway Plan will cover some of the following key areas:

• Health;
• A plan for education, training or employment;
• Support to develop and keep appropriate family, social and sexual relationships;
• A programme to develop practical skills to live independently;
• Budgeting and money management;
• Any safeguarding issues or concerns that need to be addressed around keeping the young person safe such as sexual exploitation, county lines;
• The young person’s accommodation needs including any adaptions for a young person with a disability;
• What is needed to provide the young person with support;
• Who is involved from Adult Services if the young person has additional needs;
• The Pathway plan should be reviewed every 6 months by the Personal Advisor until the young person is 21 or longer if the young person is in education.

Training and support will be available from the Fostering Service on developing independence in young people including those with a disability or special need.

As a foster carer, you should be aware of the corporate parenting principles and your role to support, as well as advocate on behalf of, your foster child or young person.

In addition, the local authority in which the child is placed publishes a 'Local Offer' for care leavers, advising them of the support and assistance that they can have up to the age of 25. For children in year 9 and above, it is important that you are familiar with the opportunities and support available and should be able to discuss these with the young person when appropriate. Be mindful also that the Local Offer will change and develop over time (see Local Offer).

A Personal Adviser is the person appointed to support the young person post 18. The personal assistant should usually be appointed when the young person is 18 but sometimes a little earlier than this so as to work alongside the young person’s social worker and build a relationship with them. They will hold an important role (where applicable) in the assessment, planning and review of services as set out in the Pathway Plan, and will co-ordinate with other agencies as necessary. They will visit the young person regularly and offer support and guidance.

The Personal Adviser has a duty to offer advice and support to care leavers up to the age of 25. However if the young person is over 21, then support can be still be offered if the young person feels they need this continual support and guidance.

The 16+ Fostering and Supporting Independence team supervises a group of approved foster carers who provide placements for young people aged between 16 to 21. This part of the Fostering Service is concerned with the development of life skills and the move towards independence.  

Local Authorities must provide information about the possibility of extending a young person’s living arrangements when they are 18.

If you feel that keeping the young person with you may be an option, the first My Voice Matters Meeting following their 16th birthday should consider a Staying Put arrangement. This will mean assessing the implications for both the young person and your family.

Following the young person’s 18th birthday, the legal basis on which they live in the foster home changes as they are no longer legally looked after.–  The allowance you will receive for that young person depends upon when the young person’s birthday falls within the academic year and whether they are in full time education. Here are some examples:

Scenario 1: YP turns 18 after the end of their final​ academic year (30th  June - 31st August). Foster carer is​ paid fostering allowance until their 18th birthday and​ then revert to Staying Put allowance.​

Scenario 2: YP turns 18 during their final academic year (1st​ September -30 June) – Foster carer is paid fostering​ allowance until the end of that academic year (30/6) and then reverts to Staying Put rate​

NEET: If the young person is not yet 18 and is LAC but also NEET (not in education employment or training), then until they are 18, the foster carer will still be in receipt of the Fostering allowance. Once turned 18, if NEET, they should be claiming Universal Credit and therefore can part contribute

Although Fostering Regulations do not apply to these accommodation arrangements there  are still certain checks carried out over time and you would still be in receipt of supervision and support. You do not need to be an approved foster carer in order to offer a Staying Put placement if you no longer intend to continue fostering children.

If a child does not remain in your care, in some cases you may be willing to continue in a befriending role to a young person who has left care and your home . The foster child’s social worker and the foster carers supervising social worker should be made aware of any continuing contact, whether planned or unplanned.

Some young people who have been placed with you up until the age of 18 may have additional needs and be eligible for a service from Adult Services.

In such instances, you may wish to be considered as a Shared Lives Carer and move over to this service to continue to support the young person post 18.

If this is the plan for the child then it is important that this is discussed when the child reaches 16 so the Child’s Social Worker can work with Adult Social Care to complete their assessment, secure funding and complete your assessment as a Shared Lives Carer.

If the young person or you as the carer feel this is not appropriate, then discussions should take place so that a suitable placement can be found for the young person. Good planning and preparation will be needed to support the young person to move on.