Preparing for independence
If you're in care, we need to work out what your needs are and how we can support you to live independently.
We will do an assessment and work with you to create a plan. This is called your pathway plan.
Pathway plans
Your pathway plan is about your needs and what we all need to do to ensure your successful transition to adult life. You will continue to have a pathway plan until you're 21 (or longer if you're in education or training).
There are different areas that will be covered in your pathway plan, these include:
- health and self-care skills
- accommodation
- family and social relations
- identity
- education, employment and training
- emotional and behavioural
Your plan your life
For your pathway plan to be effective it will be based on an up to date needs assessment (an assessment we carry out to find out what support you need). It will set out the support that will be offered to you to achieve your aspirations. We aim to fully involve you in the development of your pathway plan. It's really important that you contribute. Remember this is your plan so get involved, the plan will confirm what support will be provided so remember to ask for a copy.
Working together
Your pathway plan is written by your personal adviser after consultation with you and important people in your life. It sets out your needs, views and future goals, and identifies exactly what support you will receive from us.
Reviews
We will review your pathway plan with you regularly so that it is kept up-to-date. We must review your plan every 6 months, or earlier if there is a change of circumstance like moving into different accommodation.
Living Independently course
The ASDAN Living Independently short course helps looked after young people and care leavers prepare for living independently.
You will get a copy of the ASDAN Living Independently book no later than your 16th Birthday. Your personal adviser or social worker will be able to give you more information on this.
To help you prepare for living independently and managing your own tenancy the ASDAN-Living Independently book covers areas such as:
- Earning and spending money
- Keeping track of your money
- Making financial choices
- A place of your own
- Health and wellbeing
- Cooking on a budget
- Practical cooking skills
- Career management
- Preparing for the world of work
You can do anything from 10-60 hours. Once completed, the work you have done is accredited and you will get a certificate. Ask your social worker or personal adviser for more details.
Relationships
Having support from people who are important to you, like family members, friends, or professionals, can help when you are leaving care. There are services that can support you to contact these people and bring them together to make a plan to support you, as part of your pathway plan.
Having a plan of who can help and support you can help to prevent feeling lonely and you will know who you can contact if you need to and who will stay in touch with you.
Visit the support page to find out more about:
- Lifelong Links- If you have lost contact with family or other people who are important to you
- Family group conference – to set up a meeting with people who are important to you, to create a plan of support around you
More information and advice
The care leavers local offer has more information about support available to you as a care leaver and preparing for independence.
The Become charity for children in care and young care leavers also has information and advice about preparing for independence. Visit the page preparing to leave care on the Become website for their guide, including information about pathway plans.
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