What is a pathway plan and what is it for?
Your Pathway Plan is an important document as it tells you how your Leaving Care Service will support your plan and prepare you for life as an independent adult and that you have the right support to achieve your goals in life and track your progress in achieving your goals.
Your first pathway plan will normally happen just after you turn 16 years of age when you are still looked after. Your first plan could happen later if you came into care after the age of 16 years. Your first pathway plan will include an assessment of your needs and what support you will need in preparing for leaving care and adulthood.
Your pathway plan should be ambitious for you and set out what children’s services are going to provide you with to meet your needs and how they are going to help you. Your pathway plan is about your life and should be completed by your social worker with your full involvement.
Your pathway plan is reviewed and updated with you, every six months. You will get a copy of the review minutes and a copy of your new plan each time it is reviewed. We can also review your plan if there are significant changes in your life, so it continues to be purposeful.
You will have a pathway plan until at least age 21 years and may have one for longer, perhaps up until age 25 years if you are in higher education or you still have needs that we can help you with.
Your plan covers important areas:
- Health and development
- Education, training and employment
- Emotional and behavioural development
- Identity
- Family and social network
- Money Matters
- Practical and other skills
- Accommodation
- Support you may need as a parent
- Any additional needs you have from a disability
- Needs you may have as a refugee
- Support you may need if you have been in custody.
Sometimes you might not agree with what your social worker or personal advisor identifies as important, and we will make sure your views are reflected.
We will tell you who we share your plan with (such as your IRO, carers or advocate) and when you are an adult you can tell us who you agree for your plan to be shared with.
Qualifying care leavers are not automatically entitled to a pathway plan. If you need this support, you can contact the leaving care service who will work with you to complete an assessment of your needs to determine what support we can offer you.