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Your care plan

This is a plan written by the social worker which includes your views and makes sure you are looked after well. This plan outlines your needs and how the key people in your life can all work together to meet them. It is YOUR plan. A care plan covers things like seeing your family and friends, where you will be living, who you will be living with, for how long and where you will be going to school. The plan should also say who is going to do what, and when they will do it.

Your plan will be regularly reviewed and developed and changed over time as your needs change.

Your review

This is YOUR review meeting to look at how you are getting on. People who are important in supporting you will be invited like your Social Worker, Carer, Parents and of course, you. It’s a good idea to go as it’s all about you and you can even chair all or part of the meeting if you wish. You will talk about how you have been getting on and what might need to change. The first review will happen when you have been in care for 4 weeks, the second will be after 3 months, then reviews will be every 6 months unless you need one sooner.

You will have an Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) whose job it is to make sure your care plan is meeting your needs. They will arrange your review meeting and will visit you in between reviews to make sure you are ok.

Moving

If you have to move from your current home we will always try and get your views and feelings first. If you do have to move before we can do this we will always explain to you the reasons why.

Your education

When you become looked after by Trafford, your social worker will try to keep you in the same school as they know it is important for you to keep in contact with your teachers and friends.

Your carer can sign forms for you to go on outings with the school, if it is for a day. 

When you are at school your carer will buy all the things you need, like books, pens and pencils. Your carer will make sure you have a school uniform.

You will have a personal education plan to support you to get the best out of your time at school or college, and you may meet someone from the virtual school who can offer you additional support.

Your health

Being healthy covers things like what you eat, what exercise you do and being confident and happy. It is also important that you know when and how to seek help or advice from professionals if you are feeling unwell or worried about your health. You will be registered with a GP, Dentist and Optician close to where you are living.

You will be offered a health assessment every year, along with a dental check and if necessary a visit to the opticians. All young people have the right to consent to their own medical and dental treatment as long as it is felt they understand what they are consenting to and what the consequences might be.

Keeping in touch with family and friends

Everyone knows that it may be really important for you to see your family and other people who are close to you. If it is safe for you to meet with family members or other people who are important like previous foster carers, your social worker will arrange this. This is called 'family time'. There will sometimes be a worker who will be present during family time.  If you want to know more about family time, i.e. where and when it will happen, talk to your social worker.

Social Worker visits

Your social worker will visit and make sure that you are OK. The first visit should be within one week of you starting to live somewhere new. You should be visited at least every 6 weeks during your first year in care. After a year your visits may reduce to at least once every 3 months. Your social worker should see you on your own. You can ask to meet with your social worker away from where you live if you want to.

On some occasions your social worker may not be able to visit and a different social worker from the team may visit you.

Visiting friends

You will normally be able to go and see your friends and they will normally be able to visit you. However this may depend on your age and the reason why you became looked after and how far away they might be. Your carer will want to know where you are going, what you are doing, and what time you will be back. Remember they have the right to tell you what time you need to be home by and you should return when they say.

Sleepovers

If you want to stay overnight at a friend’s house this can usually be agreed by your carers.

Your carer will want to know where you are going and who you will be staying with. Your carer will want to talk to your friend’s parents to make sure they know you are going and that it’s OK for you to stay. In some circumstances it may not be possible for you to stay-over in order to keep you safe.

Other rights

Your carer will make sure that you have enough clothes. You should be allowed to have a say in what you wear, however clothing will need to be suitable for your age and where it will be worn.

Your carer will pay for you to do activities like dance classes and football. If you were doing these before you became looked after, they will help you to keep them up.

You must be allowed to practice your religion, including being given the right food and being allowed to wear suitable clothes.

Rules and boundaries

Just like any home your new home will have rules and boundaries which should be explained to you when you first move in.

Your carers are not allowed to hit you. Your carer can use reasonable force to prevent immediate danger of physical injury to you or another person or to prevent damage to property.