FAQs

This is a meeting to have your voice heard. You and your social worker will meet with the Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO). You will talk about your current situation and any plans. You will have your first CLA review within the first few weeks of coming into care. You’ll meet again after 3 months. Then every 6 months.

During the daytime (9am-5pm), you can call your social worker on [Number].

Early in the morning or late at night , you can call social services on [Number].

You can also call your foster carer or residential worker.

There are helplines on the home page if you want to talk.

Your foster carer will make some decisions about everyday life in the home – like bedtimes, mealtimes and house rules. Other decisions they will discuss with your social worker and family. Everyone will work together to decide what’s safe and best for you. They will listen to your views.

We will try to make sure you can stay at your own school, if this is what you want, so that you can see your friends and carry on with the activities you enjoy. Sometimes this is not possible and your foster carer, social worker and teachers will help you to settle into a new school and make new friends.

Each child and young person’s situation is looked at individually. Your social worker will be able to explain what arrangements have been made for you. Many children and young people in foster care are still in touch with their families and friends. Your social worker is the one who agrees and plans any visits. Talk to your social worker and to your foster carer about people that you want to see and speak to. Also tell them if there are some people you don’t want to see, and say why.

If you have lived with your foster family for a while and are not happy living there, please let your social worker or IRO know. It can be a very difficult time leaving your own family, moving to a new house, perhaps changing school and missing your friends. Talking to your social worker will help you to sort out your feelings.

A social worker’s job is to keep children safe.

So if there is a serious worry, all people who know you will be asked to go to a child protection conference (meeting) and decide what can be done to help you, this is called a child protection plan.

You may be able to go to this meeting and you can talk to your social worker about it.

Sometimes adults or other young people hurt children by harming them in a physical or emotional way and this is not right. Hurting a child is wrong and child protection is about stopping a child being hurt. The law states that hurting children is wrong.

Your care plan is an important written document. It explains how you should be cared for and describes your likes, dislikes and future plans. The care plan is a legal document and makes sure that you get everything you need to live a happy and healthy life in care. It is updated regularly with you. Having a care plan is your legal right, so you’re allowed to ask your social worker questions about it.

If you would like to stay living with your foster carers after you are 18, you can discuss this option with them. You must have been in care long enough to be eligible for leaving care services. If they also agree, then a When I am Ready Arrangement can be made between you as an adult and your former foster carers. This will be discussed with you well before your 18th birthday, so that it can be planned. If you are planning to go to university, we can look at what arrangements would be best for you, including where you can live during holiday periods.

You will have your own independent income as an adult, whilst in a When I am ready Arrangement either because you are:

• Employed

• At University

• Claiming benefits (which you can do if you are a Year 12/13 student at school or in Further Education)

• Being financially supported by social services as you are not entitled to claim benefits.

Your foster carer will not support you financially anymore but can continue to support you in other ways whilst you live in the family home. You can remain in a WIR Arrangement either until you are 21 or up to 25 (if you are in full-time education).

These are some things young people have said about being in When I am Ready Arrangements:

“I like the freedom to go see my friends and be allowed to stay over my friends more and am still allowed to stay with my carers who are very helpful to me. Living with my carers has allowed me to carry on working part time and still spend time with my friends. If I need anything my carers can help me”

“I don’t think I would have gone to University and done my post graduate social work course without the extra financial support that social services have given me”

Someone may be worried about a child, this may be a teacher, doctor, neighbour, family member or social worker. Social services then have to check if the child is safe.

Physical harm

This is when a child is hurt in some way, being beaten, punched or kicked etc.

Emotional harm

This is when a parent or carer behaves in a way that is likely to seriously affect a child’s emotions, now or in the future. It can range from a lot of rejection and no affection being shown or being seriously told off a lot. Watching violence in the home can also be a type of emotional harm.

Neglect

This is when a child doesn’t get the right care they need over many, many days. This includes not being loved, being kept safe, having food and drink, kept warm, regularly going to school, seeing the doctor or being taken to the hospital if it’s needed, being helped to play, having activities to do.

Sexual harm

This is when a child or young person is forced or tricked into taking part in any kind of sexual actions with an adult or young person. This can include kissing, touching the young person’s private parts, (where you swimming costume covers) or asked to touch the adult’s private parts. It is also sexual harm if children or young people are made to watch adults having sex in their home or outside, on the television, or pictures in a magazine.

Your foster carers are not meant to hurt you or hold you unless it is to stop you hurting yourself or others but if you are unsure about whether the way they are treating you is right check with your social worker.

Nice touches or hugs are allowed, but only if you are comfortable with them.

A PEP is a Personal Education Plan. This is a plan for your needs in school. A PEP review is a meeting with you, your social worker and your teacher.