A-Z

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A care leaver or care experienced young person is someone who has been in the care of the local authority and is now living back with family or living on their own.

Some jargon or terminology you might hear is:

Relevant or Eligible or Qualifying Care Leaver refers to a care leaver who is aged 16-17 and have been in local authority care for at least 13 weeks, including at least one day after your 16th birthday. Your local council must provide you with support.

Former Relevant Care Leaver is when you are aged 18-24 and you were in care between the ages of 14 to 16 (for at least 13 weeks). This must include at least one day after your 16th birthday. Your local council must provide you with support.

Visits with your birth family, mum, dad, grandparents, brothers or sisters. We like to call this family time or visits.

CAMHS stands for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. This is an NHS service that provides mental health support for children and young people, up to 18 yrs old, who are finding it hard to cope with everyday life. 

If the council wants to take a child into care to keep them safe, they cannot do it instantly. There is a legal process they must follow. Starting this legal process is called starting ‘care proceedings’.

The first step is to apply for an interim care order (ICO).

The council can apply for an interim care order by going to the family court. They must prove that the child is being harmed, or is in danger of being harmed, and that being taken into care will stop it happening.

If the judge agrees, the child will go into the council’s care.

The next step is to apply for a care order (CO).

If the judge agrees to the care order, the child will stay in the council’s care. There is no time limit on how long a care order can last. The child will stay in the council’s care until:

• they can go back to their parents
• another order is made to say who they should live with
• they turn 18

While an interim care order or care order is in place, the parents share parental responsibility with the council. But the council can make decisions without including the parents, if they think it’s in the child’s best interests.

A review is like a special meeting all about YOU! It’s a time when the people who care about you – like your social worker, carers, and sometimes your family – get together to talk about how things are going. We want to make sure you’re happy, safe, and getting everything you need.

This is a plan is when you are 16 and planning for living independently. A pathway plan is an important document that prepares you for leaving care. It makes sure you get whatever entitlements you need so you feel confident living independently. This might include suitable accommodation, mental health counselling or support to help you achieve your career goals.

You might still hear the word “placement”, but we are trying to use better words to describe things. A placement refers to where you are living with foster carers.

This means other children around your age or with similar likes, interests or things in common.

This is when you can go to for a weekend or short visit to another foster carer – we like to call it short breaks.

This is when a plan to go or do something. We check that the people you are with and the activity is safe. It’s about thinking about everything, before you go.

Special Guardianship Order. A Special Guardian is usually a family member or long term foster carer who has applied to care for the child until they are 18 years old and the child lives with them permanently.

This is someone over age 18 , who you trust to listen and support you.  They can be from your school, sports, hobbies, neighbourhood or other activities. Someone you can turn to, if you are concerned or worried.

This is about staying in a safe place when you turn 18. This can mean staying on with your current foster carer or moving to another foster carer who can support you after 18.

When a person’s five basic needs are met – social, physical, emotional, cultural, learning.

A Young Person’s Advisor supports care leavers. They are your key contact to help you with housing, education, finance and independent living skills. You will have a pathway plan.

UASC stands for Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children.

This means young refugees arriving in Wales from Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and Sudan because of conflict and violence.

Every year, more than 100 young refugees will come to Wales seeking shelter and support.