If you're a former relevant care leaver, your personal adviser (PA) will talk to you about what support you need and record this information in your Pathway Plan.
Your pathway plan is all about the steps you need to take to help you confidently move into your adult life. Your initial plan will be written before you're 16 years and 3 months old by your social worker.
If you're over 16 when you first come into care, it will be written by your social worked within 3 months of this happening.
From the ages of 18 to 25, your personal adviser will review and write your pathway plan.
It sets out your needs, views, future goals and ambitions. It'll help you to think about the support you need from us and other services we may work with.
The pathway plan covers many different areas, including:
- accommodation
- education, training and employment
- health and development
- independent living skills
- family and social networks
- hobbies/social/leisure
- financial support
- further support
- ethnicity, culture and identity
- a contingency plan
We'll make sure we write your pathway plan with you and review it every six months to keep it up to date.
With your agreement, we may ask some of our partners to help us. This may include:
- housing
- education
- health
- any other service you may have worked with
This is to make sure your plan is the best it can be for you.
Care leavers aged 21 to 25
From April 2018, we must offer care leavers the option to have support from a personal adviser (PA) until your 25th birthday. Previously, most PA support ended when you turned 21.
If you're a care leaver age 21 to 25 and your case has been closed, contact us if you'd like support.
Your support options age 21 to 25
If you:
- request PA support to continue after you are 21, we must provide it
- do not want a PA after your 21st birthday, you do not have to have one (we will close your case)
- said no to having a PA, you can change your mind at any time up until your 25th birthday
- return and ask for PA support, we must provide it
- have said yes to PA support you can also change your mind at any time. If you tell us that you don’t want a PA any more, we must withdraw the support
- choose to continue with PA support you will still need to have a pathway plan
Pathway planning age 21 to 25
After you turn 21, pathway planning will focus on the specific issues or difficulties that you and your PA have identified together. Your PA will provide guidance and support to help you.
Your pathway plan will only need to cover things that you and your PA identify. If you only want support for a short time this is fine. Your pathway plan will only need to be in place while you're receiving support.
You'll have responsibilities to work with your PA, and to carry out your parts of the plan.
Access to funding
Support from your PA includes helping you to identify sources of funding. Some funding arrangements, for example, access to your Leaving Care Grant, will be able to continue after you’re 21.