Social and relationships

As well as support from a PA, we may be able to offer you additional practical and emotional support, such as:

• A mentoring scheme in place for young people up to the age of 21.
• Help to maintain or regain contact with people special to you or who cared for you in the past, such as former foster carers, independent visitors or social workers.
• Providing you with support to help you to re-connect and maintain relationships with your family.
• Supporting you to engage with our Voice Project, to help you to build confidence, develop new skills and make new friends.

We want our care leavers to be active members of society, and to have all the chances in life that other young adults have. We can help you participate in society in the following ways:

• Providing information on groups and clubs you may wish to join
• Informing you about relevant awards, schemes and competitions you can enter, in line with your talents and interests.
• Encouraging and helping you to enroll on the Electoral Register, so you can vote in elections.
• Support you to obtain one form of photo, this can be your passport, provisional driving licence or citizen card
• Offering work experience via our links
• Informing you about voluntary work that we think you may be interested in.
• We will support you to stay healthy and fit, by providing a leisure allowance of up to £30 a month.
• Giving you advice and helping you to challenge any discrimination you face as a care leaver.

We want our young people to be listened to and taken seriously. 

You should be involved in all decisions about your plans for leaving care. You can have access to an independent advocate if you want to challenge decisions made about you, or if you are unhappy with the support you receive.

Independent advocates can inform you about your rights and help you to be heard in meetings. They are separate from Children’s Services.

You are able to see the information that we keep about you, including the files and records written about you when you were in care. Your PA can help you to access these.

The Voice Project

We offer Care Leavers up to age of 25 the opportunity to share their voices and Our UASC care leavers said “Help me to understand and overcome cultural and language differences so I can be a part of the local community” 16 Experiences of being looked after and also as a Care Leaver – this needs to be deleted. The lived experiences of young people in Staffordshire are extremely valuable in supporting and shaping future services.

The Leaving Care Forums are held in Stafford and Burton once a month from 6pm until 7:30pm. We do consultations in the form of activity-based sessions (so always an element of fun involved) and every meeting includes dinner and refreshments. The Leaving Care Forums, not only offer you the opportunity to make things better but it is also a chance for you to meet new people, develop new skills and improve confidence. Many members of The Leaving Care Forum have been involved in delivering training of Social Workers and Staff members, taken part in interview panels and attended conferences all over the UK. If you are interested in finding out more contact The Voice Project at vp@staffordshire.gov.uk or call 01785 253878. 

The Hive

Through consultation with Staffordshire Care Experience young people, we have opened ‘The Hive’. This is a property in the Cannock area of Stafford, where you can drop in and have access to washing facilities, drying facilities, quiet area, TV area and computer access. Or, you can just drop in to socialise and meet new people. We will have visitors dropping in from other agencies, such as DWP, housing, careers service, drug, alcohol support, well-being service and sexual health; all who can offer you advice and guidance.

The Hive will run one day a week on a Thursday, 10am till 4pm.

Please speak to your PA about this and they can support you to attend.