Preparing Young People for Adulthood

Regardless of the age of the young person in the placement, their need to develop skills so that they can become as independent as possible should be borne in mind and they should be encouraged to take responsibilities when they are able to do so.

Foster carers are expected to give the young person opportunities at appropriate times to practice independence tasks such as cooking, washing and ironing, within the foster home.

Young people should, from time to time, be involved in supermarket shopping with the carers and should be helped to compare value for money of different items. They should be helped to understand the relative expense of convenience foods and of fresh foods.

Foster carers should help children learn to prepare food and drinks, from making tea and coffee, to preparing cold and later hot snacks, and on to preparing simple meals. Sometimes, a camping, caravanning or self-catering holiday can provide a fun opportunity to develop these skills.

Children should be encouraged and supported to set up a long term savings account, foster carers have a responsibility to help children develop money management skills.

As the child matures, they should gradually be given responsibility for paying for certain of their own needs from their pocket money. Examples could include comics or magazines, leisure activities, toiletries and mobile phone vouchers.

Foster carers should use the ordinary course of events within their household to make children aware of the process of paying bills, and of the ease with which debts can build up. Young people should be helped to understand the dangers and consequences of this.

The fostering agency will actively support and participate in preparing and reviewing the young person's Pathway Plan and, as part of this; the foster carers should support the Personal Adviser to identify the ways in which they can provide practical, financial and emotional support to young people as they become independent.

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;
• 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.

In addition, all local authorities are required to publish a 'Local Offer' for care leavers, advising them of the support and assistance that they provide up to the age of 25.For children in year 9 and above, it would be helpful for foster carers to have familiarity with the opportunities and support available, (particularly from the respective Responsible Authorities), and be able to discuss these with the young person when appropriate. Be mindful also that the Local Offers will change and develop over time.

When a child leaves care or transfers to another placement:

• Plan ‘goodbyes’ for friends and family members that the child is close to;
• Ensure they have their ‘Life Story Book’;
• Make sure they have all their belongings;
• All important documents, such as their passport, school accreditations/certificates, etc. go with them;
• They are clear about any medications they may have and where their GP is situated (if different). If required, their next carer or placement should have these details provided to them;
• The child's belongings are moved in a suitcase or holdall and never be transported in bin-bags or other inappropriate containers.

Click here to view the Local Offer for Norfolk.

See Staying Put Procedure.

The agency will support the work of the local authority in their duties to help young people to 'Stay Put' including the possibility of a young person continuing to live with their former foster carer when they turn 18, and up to the age of 21 years. This is called a Staying Put arrangement.

If it proposed that a young person stay with the agency foster carers beyond the age of 18, the foster carers will be assessed in terms of their ability to meet the young person's needs into adulthood.