16+ Team

Who Do We Work With?

The Team has developed over a number of years in response to The Children Act 1989 and The Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000.
The Team works with all  young people who have been Looked After by the Local Authority for a period of 13 weeks from the age of 14 which includes their 16th  birthday.  Each young person is allocated their own Personal Adviser (PA) or Social Worker (SW) and will remain entitled to a  service until they reach the age of 21 or 24 if they are in Higher Education.
The Team also work with young people 16-18 who are homeless.

What Do We Do?
Children in Care and Care Leavers

Air aim is to assist and support every young person who has been Looked After and who become a Care Leaver under the Leaving Care Act.
A Pathway Plan is drawn up in partnership with each young person. This plan will include information relating to Housing, Education, Training and Employment, Health, including Sexual Health, Finance and Independent Living Skills. The plan will be reviewed and amended at regular intervals.
Our priority is to ensure that every young person receiving a service from us has the opportunity of reaching their full potential through engaging in appropriate education, training or employment. Our IYSS Connexions Advisers have significantly reduced the number of NEET service users by actively engaging with them and linking them in with local providers. The team has excellent links with all local training, housing, health and youth service providers.

Homeless 16-17 year olds

Any young person who finds themselves homeless at 16 or 17 years of age can approach the team for advice and assistance. The Homeless officer or duty social worker will undertake an assessment of need which will lead to the most appropriate resource being provided. This might be Family Mediation, referral to Hostel Accommodation or other Housing provider or consideration of Accommodating under Section 20 of The Children Act 1989.
These young people may also access the IYSS Connexions Advisers.