In this blog, I am going to be talking about what care experienced people are entitled to both whiles being in care and when leaving care and becoming independent and transitioning into your own place.
For many local authorities across the UK, a lot of things have been changing as the local authorities have been going through changes to make a lot of the services better for both young people and those who are needing to access support, however a lot of the time many care -experienced people do not really know what they are entitled too as being in care and those who are leaving care and becoming independent.
When being in foster care, a lot of the time you are entitled to certain things to help you be looked after and even grow up, however, this is always sorted and conducted appropriately by your foster carers when in foster care, but when transitioning into being a care leaver this changes as you start moving into independence.
From my experience of transitioning into being a care leaver and moving into independence, it was a massive strange change, as I knew that I was to look after myself and defend for myself, but mentally I was not ready to do this, as one day I was in care and the next I was an adult and being independent, and this change can be scary for a lot of care experienced people and even those who are not in care as well.
When moving into independence, your personal advisor also known as a (PA), will always help you claim for what is known as Universal Credit which is one of the things that you are entitled too as being a care leaver as this will help you to get food and essentials and pay for you own place while searching for employment if you have not already got a job in place.
During the time of being a care leaver, yourself, and your personal advisor (PA), will do what is known as a Pathway Plan Review (PWPR), which is typically done once every six months, to go through everything that you have done and what you would want to do during the next sixth months, such as goals and so forth.
However, one of the biggest things that care leavers do not know that they are entitled too is when leaving care, you are able to get what is known as a Leaving care grant, which helps you set up your first home with all the essentials that you need such as fridge, freezer, bed, washing machine and so forth. A lot of the time, what has been said by a lot of care leavers and from my own experience.
However, from experience the one thing that you can guarantee that you are entitled too and that you will get is your personal advisor keeping in contact with you. In my time as being a care leaver, whenever I had an issue, I knew that I could get in contact with my personal advisor (PA) anytime and even if she was busy, she would always try and call me before she left the office for the day.
Being a care leaver can be hard and it’s also extremely hard to know everything that you are entitled too, as there are many different things that you are entitled too, but being able to always know that if you have an issue and you can contact your personal advisor at any time during the week, makes it a lot better because they can guide you to the specific thing that you require from the things that you are entitled too.
So, always feel that you can ask anyone and even your personal advisor about what you are entitled too, because everyone is more than happy to advise you the best they can, also you can check your local authority website or visit Coram Voice’s website to see what you are entitled too.
By Anonymous Care Experienced Blogger
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