Care Leavers - Our offer to you

Cheshire West Care Leavers – Our Offer to You

It is a privilege to support you and even though you may have turned 18 Cheshire West and Chester Virtual School are still here to provide any advocacy and advice you may need around your next steps in education, training or employment. We work closely with social workers, Personal Advisors, Young People’s Support Service (YPS), Work Zone and local further education settings such as colleges, sixth forms and training providers.

Our goal is for every care leaver to reach their full potential.

We will be able to support you, advocate for you, or signpost you to the best person who can. You can contact us directly by emailing the Post 16 Advisor for the Virtual School. Jennifer.lomas@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk

If you are 18 or under, the Virtual School will support you by:

• Keeping track of your learning journey and making sure you get support quickly if things go wrong or plans change

• Ensuring you are having a Personal Education Plan reviewed each term with SMART targets

• Providing advice, advocacy and signposting around education, training and employment

• Support with equipment to aid your education/ training (applications processed by the Children’s Trust Fund – social worker referral)

• Pupil Premium Plus Grant – can be used to support extra tuition (at the discretion of Virtual School Head Teacher)

• Helping you with starting university, including applications, the UCAS process and connecting you with the Care Experienced Team at your chosen university

• Rewarding your academic school/ college exam achievements in the summer term

If you are aged 18-25, the Virtual school will support you by:

• Ensuring you are having regular Personal Education Plan reviews if you want these to continue after 18 (if in education)

• Providing advice, advocacy and signposting around education, training and employment

• Support to obtain copy GCSE certificates where necessary

• Pupil Premium Plus Grant – can be used to support extra tuition or training (at the discretion of Virtual School Head Teacher), ask your PA about this

• Helping you if you are considering university including: applications and the UCAS process, connecting you with the Care Experienced Team at your chosen university. PLEASE NOTE – you need to start a course before you turn 21 to get the full financial package available to Cheshire West care leavers. Please speak to your PA for details.

• Rewarding your college/ university exam achievements

Who will support you to find education, training or employment?

If you are aged 18 or under and need help with education, training or employment – you will be supported by a worker from the Young People’s Service (YPS)

If you are aged 19 and above, and not in education, training or employment – you will be supported by Cheshire West Work Zone, and also the Employability Co-ordinator at YPS.

Both services will help you with:

• Career guidance and advice

• Re-engaging in education or training

• Building your confidence and self-esteem through short programmes such as the Prince’s Trust or Youth Fed

• Looking for work-based learning such as apprenticeships, traineeships or supported internships

• Finding a work placement or tasters in different industries

• Creating CVs, interview preparation and job searching

• Achieving your English and maths Level 2 qualifications

• Completing short courses

You can self-refer to Young People's Services by contacting them directly, or asking your PA, or the Virtual School to support.

Young people's service | Cheshire West and Chester Council

Work Zones, Skills and Employment | Live Well Cheshire West (cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk)

Our Pledge to Care Leavers:

• If you apply for a Cheshire West council job or apprenticeship vacancy, as a care leaver you will be guaranteed an interview! You will need to disclose your care leaver status at the application stage to access this

• As a council we treat being a Care Leaver as a protected characteristic, meaning that you cannot not be discriminated against on the grounds of having been in care

• Even if you have left care for some time and not been in contact with us, you can come back at anytime up to the age of 25 to get support

We are here for you!!!!!