Looked after children (health and wellbeing needs in South Tyneside)
High level priorities
Families First (Edge of Care)
- Work to carefully manage entry to and exits from the care system to continue to safely manage reductions in numbers of Looked After Children
Create a new Placement Service:
- Maintain as wide a range of types of placements as possible, so that young people have some choice over the type of placement most suitable to their needs and preferences
- Maximise the use of family-based placements
- Develop the number of local placements, so that children are able to live within the borough, where appropriate
- Ensure that children, young people and families remain firmly at the centre of decision making which affects their lives
- Work with partnership organisations, including the NHS, the Police and voluntary sector organisations, to engage with and contribute to meeting the assessed needs of South Tyneside's vulnerable children, young people and families
Educational and Employment Outcomes
- Ensure that all children have an effective, high quality personal education plan
- Ensure that school moves happen only in exceptional circumstances.
- Support young people leaving care to enter further education, employment and training.
Health Outcomes
- Review and respond to health needs of children and young people in a timely way.
- Access to specialist health services including those related to additional needs or disability.
- Healthy lifestyle advice on, healthy diet, healthy relationships, promoting a healthy weight, and increased physical activity.
- Children and young people have their need for any additional emotional support recognised and addressed, are given the knowledge and skills to achieve emotional stability, resilience and self-confidence.
Care Leavers
- Children and young people enter adulthood in a planned way, with a home to live in, the skills to look after themselves and the ability to earn a living or continue in education or training.
- All eligible young people at the age of 16 will have a personal advisor who will remain involved until the young person reaches the age of at least 21 and continue to offer support up to the age of 25.
- Utilise the Transitions Panel to support the planning for young people from the age of 16, who may be eligible for support from Adult Services.
- Increase the number of young people in Staying Put arrangements
