Moving Towards Independence
Standards and Regulations
The Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011:
Fostering Services National Minimum Standards
Training, Support and Development Standards for Foster Care:
Related guidance
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 and what support a young person can receive post 18.
The Fostering Agency advocates the principles as defined in statutory guidance in relation to supporting transitions for Young People. Research and practice shows that Young People will have the best chance of success as adults if those providing transitional care and other support take the following into account in talking to the Young Person and when making any decision:
- Is this good enough for my own Child?
- Providing a second chance if things do not go as expected.
- Is this tailored to their individual needs, particularly if they are more vulnerable that other Young People?
No Young person should be made to feel that they should “leave care” before they are ready. Provisions of continuing leaving care support must ensure that throughout the period that each care leaver is provided with leaving care services and their needs are subject to ongoing assessment and review to ensure that intervention puts them on the pathway to success as they make their transition to adulthood.
In promoting positive outcomes for Children and Young People the Fostering Services National Minimum Standards (2011) states that:
- Children are prepared for, and supported into, adulthood so that they can reach their potential and achieve economic wellbeing.
Foster Carers play a key and significant role in supporting Young People in their transition to adulthood and preparing them with the life skills required to promote the best possible outcomes for Young People.
Transition to adulthood for Young People should not start on their 16th birthday; preparation for a time when they will no longer be looked after should be integral to the care planning process throughout their time in care.
Key guidance contributing to this policy is The Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations. Volume 3: Planning Transition to Adulthood for Care Leavers and The Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations. Volume 2: Care Planning, Placement and Case Review.
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. These skills can be taught and or supported from a young age and some should not wait for the young person to be planning on moving on, for example starting with tasks around the home (considering the experiences of children when setting tasks).
You should build into the routine a chance to practice skills such as cooking and cleaning. This may start with an easy task such as cake making or preparing food and drink.
It is also useful to include young people in supermarket shopping where you can help them to understand (for example) the difference between the cost of convenience foods and fresh foods.
As the child gets older they should be given responsibility for paying for things from their pocket money or savings such as magazines, activities, toiletries or mobile phone credit.
You should support all children to open a bank or building society account in their own name. Some Children's Social Care Services have savings schemes and expectations.
Listed below are areas to think about with young people when preparing them for independence:
- Budgeting, managing money and savings;
- What food to buy, how to cook it and store food;
- How to use a washing machine and ironing;
- Housework and cleaning;
- DIY such as putting wardrobes up, putting plugs on and decorating;
- Thinking about their futures; what do they want to do, employment, further training, and how can they achieve this?
- Accessing advice and support from others;
- Leisure activities and other interests.
This is the range of things young people need to learn how to do and to be thinking about. It is important that you support the young person to develop their self esteem and resilience in order to survive living independently.
It is tempting to do things for them but remember this will not help them in the future when they are living on their own.
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.
Services for a period of 13 weeks since the age of 14 and are currently still looked after.
Eligible children are those in care aged 16 or 17 and currently looked after by Children's Services for a period of 13 weeks since the age of 14 and are currently still looked after.
Relevant children are those aged 16 or 17 and have been looked after by Children's Services for a period of 13 weeks since the age of 14 and looked after for a period of time after their 16th birthday but are no longer looked after.
Former relevant children aged between 18 and 21 or between 18 and 25 if still in full-time education and were previously eligible and/or child.
The voice of the Young Person is at the centre of the Pathway planning process. The weight given to their views will depend on the assessment of their welfare by those professionals who are responsible for providing the Young Person with care and support. By themselves, these views will not be determinative.
Where there are circumstances where the Young Person’s wishes demand a level of independence, which the assessment suggests that they could not possibly manage – for example because the Young Person lacks basic skills in financial management, or does not demonstrate an understanding of the responsibilities required to live independently – then the Young Person’s views should be mediated by a professional assessment of their welfare and the measures that might be required to support their current and long term best interests. Where there is doubt about the Young Person’s capacity, it will be important that their Personal Adviser shares their concern with them, consults their Social Worker (where this is not the Personal Adviser) and their IRO, and if necessary arranges for the Young Person to have the support of an independent advocate.
Your Fostering Agency 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 looked after 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 Agency 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 Birmingham Children's Trust 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 be appointed when the young person is 16 years old. 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.
A Personal Advisor must be appointed. The Personal Adviser will:
- Provide the Young Person with advice and support (this will include direct practical help to prepare them for the time when they move or cease to be looked after and also emotional support);
- Participate in reviews of the Pathway Plan which for an eligible Young Person will include the Care Plan;
- Liaise with the responsible authority/Birmingham Children’s Trust Children’s Services about the provision of services (this function may be carried out by the Personal Adviser working as a member of a social work or a specialist leaving care team; it will also involve liaising and negotiating with the full range of services that make up the Birmingham Children's Trust’s services, (e.g. education and housing services);
- Co-ordinate the provision of services, ensuring that these are responsive to the Young Person’s needs and that they are able to access and make constructive use of them;
- Remain informed about the Young Person’s progress and keep in touch with them – visiting at no less than the statutory intervals;
- Maintain a record of their involvement with the Young Person, monitoring the effectiveness of services in preparing the Young Person for a time when they will move to greater independence or when they cease to be looked after.
Local Authorities must provide information about the possibility of extending a young person’s living arrangements when they are 18. . (Please see our staying put section)
If you feel that keeping the young person with you may be an option, the first Child in Care Review 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 (the legal term is that the young person becomes an ‘excluded licensee’ lodging in the home) – this does not mean that the young person will be treated differently than when they were fostered.
Although Fostering Regulations do not apply to these situations there may be certain checks carried out over time. The Birmingham Children's Trust will need to assess and consider the appropriateness of these checks particularly where the young person is the only person living with you and it is not envisaged that further children will be place
- The transition from being looked after to life as an adult is a very significant period in a Young Person’s life. As well as for some being a time of excitement, it is also a time of significant change and inevitable stress for many Young People. This must be acknowledged by all professionals and Foster Carers working with the Young Person who are responsible for giving necessary encouragement and reassurance, as well as providing assistance, advice and guidance in the important life decisions and choices taking place at this crucial time;
- It is also vital within this process that despite the transitions taking place, that placement stability continues. This is due to the fact that without this key ingredient, adequate levels of support are unlikely to be offered and therefore there is a likelihood of increased difficulties in the Young Person making a successful transition.
Foster Carers will undertake the following responsibilities:
- Contribute to the development of each Young Person’s Care Plan, including the Pathway Plan, and work collaboratively with the Young Person’s Social Worker and Personal Advisor in implementing the Plan;
- Foster Carers will contribute significantly to the Young Person’s preparation for and transition to adulthood through providing opportunities to the Young Person and supporting them. In accordance with Standard 12 of the Fostering Services National Minimum Standards (2011) Foster Carers will support Young People to:
- Establishing positive and appropriate social and sexual relationships;
- Develop positive self-esteem and emotional resilience;
- Prepare for the world of work and or further or higher education;
- Prepare for moving into their accommodation;
- Develop practical skills, including shopping, buying, cooking and keeping food, washing clothes, personal self-care, and understanding and taking responsibility for personal healthcare;
- Develop financial capability, knowledge and skills;
- Know about entitlements to financial and other support after leaving care, including benefits and support from social care services;
- Foster Carers will, along with agreement of the Care Team, act in delegated authority until the Young Person reaches 18 years and provide opportunities for the Young Person to develop life skills and manage identified risks;
- Understand that setbacks are inevitable at times, and provide encouragement at these times and emotional and practical support.
Liaise effectively with professionals involved and where appropriate, birth parents.
Supervising Social Workers will undertake the following responsibilities:
- Supervise the Foster Carers work with the Young Person ensuring that the Foster Carers provide care in line with the Pathway Plan;
- Where Foster Carers are undertaking specific areas of work with the Young person, in line with the Pathway Plan, they will provide support to the Foster Carers with this regard, along with advice and guidance where needed;
- Supervising Social Workers will ensure that the Foster Carers work in partnership in key areas including delegated authority duties prior to the Young Person reaching 18, providing opportunities to develop life skills, encouraging the Young Person to make decisions, and managing risk;
- Contribute to the planning processes and liaise with the relevant professionals throughout;
- Ensure that Foster Carers have access to appropriate training and support when caring for a Young Person approaching adulthood.
Some young people need to stay in placement because they have additional needs and are eligible for an Adult service and to be cared for by a Shared Lives Carer when they reach 18 years of age.
- Appendix 1: Some examples in supporting Young People for Adulthood;
- Pathway Plan;
- Care Plan;
- Placement Plan.
Money - Young People need to know how to open a bank account. They need to be able to source the local bank, ring and arrange an appointment. They need to take relevant documents (ID) and complete processes at the bank to enable an account to be opened.
Health - Young People should know the process of registering with a GP. They need to identify a local practice, ring and make an appointment. They will then attend and complete relevant health paperwork. They should be made aware of keeping the practice up to date with changes of addresses, telephone numbers etc.
Education/Employment - A Young Person has to identify when/where/what college open evenings are available and make arrangements to attend. They need to speak with advisers concerning what courses are available and sharing their skills, interests and plans with them. This may lead to completing enrolment forms and a possible placement. They need to know information around apprenticeship schemes and other options available and processes. Young People may need to complete application forms for employment if this is an option considered.
Family and Relationships - Young People need to be aware of appropriate relationships. They need to be aware of legal ages of sexual relationships, marriages, etc., also including the implications of non-adherence. Young People can be given reading materials, encouraged to join relevant groups or have discussions with their Foster Carers.
Accommodation - Young People need to be aware of all various types of accommodation available to them. They can liaise with their Social Worker/Foster Carer to arrange visits. During visits they can ask questions regarding rent, tenancy agreements, utility costs, etc.
Looking After Yourself - Young People need to be given advice on hygiene and health issues. This could include washing hands after using the toilet, and checking the body whilst bathing. They need to know they can seek advice from Foster Carers if they have concerns or contact their GP, go to a Walk in Centre, or research the internet / look at reading materials.
Having your say - Young People need to have their say in Child in Care Reviews. They need to discuss their thoughts, feelings and plans with their Foster Carer which should be included in the reports. They should attend the review and join in the discussions about their future plans.
Legal Rights - Young People need to know the legal ages for driving, drinking alcohol and smoking etc. They can access this information from Foster Carers, Children’s Rights Groups, the internet or via educational resources.
Being in Care - Young People should be encouraged to spend time with their Foster Carer to complete their Pathway Plan Assessment. They should complete each section honestly giving examples of what they like/dislike. This will inform the Pathway Plan which will help them in the future as well as people who will help along the way.
Life Skills - Young People need to know how to use public transport. They may be assisted by Foster Carers or friends initially, but then encouraged to use this themselves. They need to know how to check bus routes, timetables, costs, etc.
Last Updated: August 29, 2023
v31
