Kent County Council Monday November 11 th 2019

Kent County Council Monday November 11 th 2019 Time: 09. 30 – 3. 30 CLPP Conference - 2020 Sharing best practice on positive outcomes for young people in care and care leavers Rachel Calver – Service Manager, 18+ Care Leavers Service and Chair of the DMS group November 2020 1

Current picture in Kent…. Kent Social Worker Teams • Children in Care teams supporting those aged 0 -18 yrs • Split into North, South, East and West • Each area has a Service Manager, supported by Team Managers, Senior Practitioners, Social Workers and Social Work Assistants • Separate UASC Duty team – complete initial assessments and transfer to the CIC teams across the county • Adolescent Teams across the county - supporting CIN 18+ Care Leavers Service • Young person transitioned to the service once they turns 18 yrs of age and allocated a Personal Adviser to take over from the Social Worker • Support up to 25 yrs of age, can close and re-open up to 25 yrs regardless of EET status now • Based across two office bases (Dover and West Malling) 2

Current picture in Kent…. Children in Care (0 -18 yrs) • 1809 (UASC 439, Citizen 1370) o Total number in KS 4 - 354 (Yr 10 -147, Yr 11 -207) o Total number of in KS 5 - 582 (excl OOC & UASC in Reception Centres) Ø Total number UASC in KS 5 - 273 Ø Total number in EET in KS 5 – 504 (UASC 230, Citizen 274) o Total number in the main EET categories in KS 5 Ø Education 454 Ø College 387 Ø 6 th form 34 Ø Specialist Provisions 33 Ø Training Providers 41 Ø Employed 9 3

Current picture in Kent…. Care Leavers (18 -25 yrs) • 1788 as of Oct 2020 (53% UASC) o 73% male o 24. 6% aged 18 yrs, 22. 3% aged 21 yrs, o 7% disabled o 60. 4% currently in EET Ø 6% in HE Ø 66% are UASC Ø 81% are male • Accommodation: o 14% living in canterbury (largest area) o 2. 3% in custody o 24. 6% In shared accommodation (Ready Homes, mainly UASC) o 16. 4% in private rented o 13% in social housing o 5. 5% in staying put 4

Current picture in Kent…. Care Leavers (18 -25 yrs) EET CATEGORY Number % Citizen UASC full time in higher education (i. e. studies beyond A level) 107 6. 02 57 50 full time in education other than higher education 331 18. 62 78 253 full time in training or employment 335 18. 84 145 190 NEET - illness or disability 93 5. 23 82 11 NEET - other circumstances 539 30. 31 298 241 NEET - to pregnancy or parenting 89 5. 01 80 9 Not Recorded (long term missing) 27 1. 52 6 21 part time in higher education (i. e. studies beyond A level) 2 0. 11 1 1 part time in education other than higher education 50 2. 81 16 34 part time in training or employment 205 11. 53 65 140 TOTAL: Current Care Leavers 1778 828 (46. 5%) 950 (53. 4%) 5

Virtual School Kent Additional staff: Headteacher Assistant Head (N) Deputy Head (N/W) Deputy Head (S/E) Assistant Head (W) Assistant Head (S) • Out of County team • Previous LAC team • Criminal Injuries Team • Participation & Engagement team Assistant Head (E) Senior Education Support Officer Fostering Liaison Officer Education Welfare Officer X 4 Education Support Officer • Supported by Business Admin team 6

VSK – Key Stage 4 and 5 Team Additional staff: • Officer - UASC Headteacher Deputy Head (N/W) Education Support Deputy Head (S/E) • Out of County team • Previous LAC team • Criminal Injuries Team • Participation & Engagement team Transition Lead (N/W) Sam Perrin Assistant Heads (N&W) Transition Lead (S/E) Catherine Thompson Assistant Heads (S&E) • Post 16/KS 5 Education Support Officer (N) KS 4 Education Support Officer (N) Post 16/KS 5 Education Support Officer (S) KS 4 Education Support Officer (S) Post 16/KS 5 Education Support Officer (W) KS 4 Education Support Officer (W) Post 16/KS 5 Education Support Officer (E) KS 4 Education Support Officer (E) Supported by Business Admin team 7

18+ Care Leavers Service Head of Service (Transition & Accommodation) Service Manager (Transition) X 4 Teams X 4 EET Team X 2 CMF Posts (Inc. Apprentice) Benefits Coordinator Accommodation Manager Rough Sleeping Grant Team Assistant Director Corporate Parenting X 2 Teams Head of Service (Asylum) Service Manager (Asylum) X 1 Mental Health Social Worker X 4 Teams X 1 Team X 1 Mental Health Social Worker X 1 Age Assessment Post Each team has: x 1 Team Manger x 1 Senior Personal Adviser X 7(approx) Personal Advisers 8

18+ Care Leavers Service Personal Adviser Senior Personal Adviser Team Manager Young Inspectors Scheme Care Leaver Mental Health Support Team Benefits Coordinator EET Support Officers X 11 teams split across two offices Homeless Team Custody Coordinator 9

Young Person Voice • Participation & Engagement team responsible for encouraging Children in Care and Care Leavers to speak up, voice their opinions and to help shape the services that they receive. The team includes Apprentice Participation Workers, many of whom are care experienced so have a good understanding of what it is really like to be in care • Several councils in place for different age young people to share their views on the support they receive • Activity days and award ceremonies to recognise achievements • Producing resources • Challenge Cards - ‘Mind your language’ 10

Key information – VSK & CIC • Personal Education Plans – 2/3 per academic year cycle, online portal, review progress of EET, collaboration between young person, EET provider, home and local authority • CIC Reviews and Pathway Plans – happen a minimum of twice per year, will include discussions around education, employment, independent living skills, housing situation, finance, health and wellbeing, parenting and family dynamics. CIC review turns into a Pathway Plan when the young person turns 16 yrs onwards • Impact on attendance – where possible PEP and Pathway Plan meetings should not be during lesson times. For UASC, legal meetings may not be flexible, placement moves (planned and unplanned), family contact 11

Key information – 18+ • Care Leaver Bulletin • Welcome Pack o to support with transition • In to Independence Pack o Information on services when no longer with 18+ • Care Leaver Offer o University support - bursary, accommodation support in holidays, support for interviews, contact, graduation, travel back to Kent 12

Transition • New transition policy – looking at how young people transition from CIC to CL, key tasks identified for key professionals and yp at specific times in the cycle, aiming on allocating PA at 17 -17. 5 to support smoother transition • Calendar of Activities – VSK KS 4/5 and 18+ EET team collaboration of the academic year cycle with key tasks identified for the staff and young people • VSK & DMS – close partnership with VSK staff and the DMS to track and monitor progress, support with PEPs and link with LA • Higher Education – HE pack of recourses • Level 3 progression – developing offer of targeted support for L 3 learners 13

Partnership Working • Designated Member of Staff o Chaired by Kent 18+ Service Manager, attendees include representatives from VSK, 18+, Medway LA, local colleges and universities o Discuss key issues impacting on CIC/CLs educational progression o Share best practice o Feedback to CLPP • Care Leaver Progression Partnership o Chair of DMS group attends to represent their views o LA representatives from both Kent and Medway attend o National Network for the Education of Care Leavers o Chair of DMS group attends to represent their views o College and University representatives from both Kent and Medway attend 14

Allotment independence One of our Care Leavers rents an allotment, he is growing potatoes, carrots and lettuce at the moment. He built his own shed and greenhouse and created his own pond, he also helps the elderly residents with their allotments with maintenance etc. 15

Success in accessing Higher Education One of our young people arrived in the UK in 2012 as an Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking young person from Iran and placed in foster care. She faced bullying at school as she was trying to learn the language and didn’t feel she fitted in. At 18 she decided that she wanted to live independently and moved into a shared house. She completed her further education at UCA and decided she wanted to go to University. She applied to Canterbury Christchurch University to study Human Resources Management and was accepted onto the course. At the time she was pregnant with her 1 st Child whom she gave birth to 4 months before starting university. However, she was determined that nothing was going to stop her and even though she had a young baby with all the complications that brings to studying she was adamant that she wouldn’t give up. She continued through her university journey with the support from 18+ Care Leavers Service who helped by paying holiday accommodation and Care Leavers Higher Education bursary. 4 months before the end of her course she gave birth to twin boys, so with 3 children under 4 she managed to complete her studies and take her exams gaining a brilliant 2: 1 Degree in Human Resource Management!!! Many congratulations Ziba!! 16

Thank you for listening. 17