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Summary - What should I expect?

What Care Leavers can expect from the London Borough of Sutton and its commitment to them

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**Summary -  What should I expect ? **

You can expect the following support: 

1. Your Personal Adviser will listen to you and help you with decisions that will affect your future - you will be provided with the information and support required to help you make decisions about where you are going to live, what you are going to do and how we are going to support you to look after yourself. Your PA will support you on your journey to young adulthood and beyond. 

2. We will, together with you, develop an individual Pathway Plan which clearly sets out what you need, your aspirations, goals, including where you will live, study and work. 

3. Provide you with somewhere safe to live and help you make it your home. 

4. Offer you a clear financial plan setting out the money you will have to spend on everything, including rent, bills, travel, food and your wellbeing. 

5. Support you with education, training and employment opportunities.

6. Help you to be healthy. Provide you with a health passport which will include your health history and health needs. 

7. Ensure you have a passport, national insurance number and birth certificate. 

8. Ensure we listen to you and share with you clearly what you can do if you are not happy about something. 

9. We will help you with contact with your family if you want this and it is safe for this to happen. Obviously as an adult, you are free to make your own choices, but we will help you to think about what will work or not. 

**Our commitments to you: **

Getting ready for adulthood: 

We understand that turning 18 doesn't automatically equip you with all the knowledge and skills needed to be a responsible adult. We're here to help you understand what that means, support you through mistakes (and our own worries about you), and, especially during challenging times, ensure you know we're ready to help.

  • We will help you with the changes that happen when you stop being a child who is ‘looked after’ and become a ‘care leaver.’  

  • We will do this in a supportive and positive way, making sure that you have the time it takes to be ready.

  • We will help you remain with your foster family for as long as possible. We will only start thinking about independent living with you when you are practically, mentally and emotionally ready. 

  • We will help you maintain relationships with your carers, family, friends and social networks so that you have help  and support during and after you leave our care.

  • We will help you to understand what you need to be able to successfully live on your own and to be happy. We will also show you that we understand that leaving our care is a big step and that you need our patience and understanding, even when you make mistakes

  • There may be times that we need to make contact with other services or people who can help you. If we need to do this, we will make sure that you know and are clear about what will happen next. We will help you to find special support, like therapy or counselling, when the time is right for you and if you tell us that this would help you. 

  • We will make sure that you feel part of our Sutton “Corporate family” and like other families, we understand that you need to have a sense that you belong and are valued. We will help other people in the Council understand this when you may need their support, for example with housing or other services.