We want to make sure children and young people have as much information as possible when they come into care. On this page we have explained some of the things care experienced children and young people sometimes ask out about. If you do have any questions though, you can ask your social worker any questions you can have they will be able to help with the answer.
Page contents
- Your Care Plan
- Your Looked After Child review meeting
- Your Culture and Identity
- Your Family Time
- Finances, savings and money
- Frequently asked questions
Your Care Plan
Your care plan is an important plan about you, written and kept up to date by your social worker. It sets out in writing what you need, to make sure you are being well looked after and supported in all the areas of your life, including how to stay healthy, where you go to school, how and when you will see your family and other important people in your life and your plan for the future.
Your care plan must consider your identity including your cultural background, religious needs or whether you have a disability or additional need. This plan should include your views and wishes and should be agreed with you.
Looked After Child Review meeting
A review is a meeting to see how you are getting on. This is your meeting and you can choose who is there, usually your parent(s), social worker and carer(s) attend the meeting. It is a chance to talk about what has been happening and what plans are being made for you while you are being looked after.
Your Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) will chair your Looked After Child Review meeting. They will listen to you, make sure you have your say about what is happening and everyone listens to you and to make sure your care plan is working for you.
You may decide you'd like to chair or co chair your review, and your IRO and social worker can help you with this. We'd love you to attend your meeting but we know sometimes this can be hard, your IRO will still meet with you and listen to your views even if you don't want to be at the meeting, just let us know. You can also contact your IRO between your reviews.
Your first review meeting should happen within four weeks of you becoming looked after. There will be a second review meeting after three months and then they will happen every six months after that.
Your Culture and Identity
Who you are is really important to us, so if you have a specific religion, identity or culture you relate to or social group which you need help with, it is really important that you tell your social worker and carers so they can make sure the care they give you is what you need. An example may be needing help to get to a place of worship, or joining a group of children who have a similar background, identity or interests to you.
Where possible you will be placed with carers who are from a similar background to you, but if this is not possible, then we will assist you to keep links with your cultural and identity needs.
Your Family Time
We know how important it is to keep in touch with family and friends who you are close to, we call this time "Family Time", however some people may refer to it as "Contact". Keeping in touch can be visits, letters, emails and phone calls. You have the right to see your friends and family if you want to and it is safe to do so. Your social worker and carer will sort out how often this will happen and organise this with you.
If you have brothers or sisters who are also looked after but living in a different place from you, your social worker and carers must also help you to keep in regular contact with them as long as it is safe for you.
If you are not happy with the plans to see important people in your life, talk to your Social Worker or carer. If you are still not happy you can raise this with your IRO.
Finances, Savings and money
As a Looked After Child you will be given pocket money/allowance, depending on your age, level of independence and placement. This will help you to understand money and how to budget your money in future. If you are having problems with your money, you must speak to your social worker as you may be entitled to extra funds.
Alongside pocket money/allowance, your social worker will support your carers to save money on your behalf which can be saved for you until you leave care.
Frequently asked questions
Some of the questions below were asked by care experienced children and young people 中国P站 Youth Voice work with. Other questions came from social workers who thought they might be good for children and young people to know.
- Why am I looked after?
- What are care proceedings?
- What is a care order?
- Will I still see my family?
- Can I live in a different area?
- Can I go home?
Why am I looked after?
There are lots of reasons why children become looked after and go into care. It could be because your parents aren't able to care for you or are in another country. It might just be because it isn't safe for you to stay at home, so the local authority will help to look after you.
What are care proceedings?
This is when Children's Services ask the court whether a child or young person should become looked after.
What is a care order?
Orders are like rules that the court says everyone has to stick to. If your social worker is worried about safety ;and feels you should become looked after, but your parents don't agree, then the social worker can go to court to try and get something called a care order. The care order allows the social worker to have paternal responsibility for you.
Will I still see my family?
Yes. Keeping in touch with you family is known as contact and this will happen if:
- you want it to happen
- your family wants it to happen,
- and if it is safe for contact to happen
Can I live in a different area?
This can happen, but unless you are going to live with someone you already know or an approved foster carer, only a senior person in 中国P站 can make the decision for you to live outside your area.
Can I go home?
Your social worker will always try to get you back home with your family if it's safe for you. Although it can seem unfair not to be allowed home, your social work is only trying to protect you and you must remember that you deserve a safe and happy childhood.