Advice Needed for a 19 Year Old With Nothing

lynzpower

Tes,

The most important thing to note is that if he has been in the care system till 16 he is FULLY ENTITLED AND IS HIS RIGHT to have full access to all leaving care services.

http://www.medway.gov.uk/index/socialcare/children/45062.htm

The 16+ Care Leaving Service is a specialist service working with people aged 16-21 years (or up to 24 if they are in full-time education) that are or have been in council care for a period of at least 13 weeks since the age of 14. The service helps to support young people through their transition into adulthood.

He is fully entitled to:
any help & support re: housing & bills although TBH I bet you would be better at it than social workers due to your thorough nature IYSWIM
educational support- getting into college or training
socail support- from social clubs & networks to counselling
grants and practical stuff- THEY SHOULD BE PAYING THIS! and they will expect to!!

I think what seems to have happened and I had this too as a social worker, that the housing dep makes decisions without 100% knowing he was in care/ what he is entitled to. these leaving care arrangements were put in place to respond to the fact that natural parents seldom "wash thier hands " of 16 year olds at that legal cutoff, so why should corporate parents?

2 orgs he should know about
http://www.voiceyp.org/ngen_public/default.asp ( totally excellent IME)
http://www.careleavers.com/content.php?cat=41&pageorder=1 ( dont know much about these though)

Bol if I can offer anything let me know x

edinburgher

ampersand wrote: »

Posts reported.

I'd rather have some 'old ladies' discussing my wellbeing than being abandoned. Someone who's been through the system and is just starting out on their adult life needs a bit of help to get things straight - there's no shame in that. I don't know how I would have coped without the support of family etc. when I left home aged 17, let's have more productive advice and less !!!!!ing.

nearlyrich

I have had to remove some posts as they are really not in the spirit of MSE, if you can't say something nice don't say anything springs to mind here.

Please be nice to all moneysavers;)

fizzel81

sorry ! mine was a bit urm wrong

ampersand

Not you, fizzel81 - I reported tomandgary and Andy, new posters mse can do without.

beanielou

Ampersand hun.
Long time no see.
Hope all is well with you.
Lou xxxxx
(Sotty for thread hijack BTW)

fizzel81

ampersand wrote: »

Not you, fizzel81 - I reported tomandgary and Andy, new posters mse can do without.

nope but i used a naughty word lol when i should have left scum to it

Jacks_xxx

Honey, why don't you post a list of what you think he needs to start him off and see if anybody on here can help out with specific items?

I'd be willing to have a rummage and see what we could spare.
It is Christmas after all! :xmastree: :xmassign:

Ooh...to start the balll rolling I've got a little toaster grill oven thingummy that I won on that Big Brother's Big Mouth show when Russell Brand used to do it. (I was trying for a mobile phone. :rolleyes::rotfl: )

I've made toast in it - once - so it works and is in V good condition. Would it be any use to him hon?

I'd be happy to post it to you - I'm due a good deed!

Love Jacks xxx

PS I've also got a few shower gels and deodorants knocking about that he could have as well if he wants them - and probably some more stuff if I give it some thought.

the_rottweiler

thank you for helping this young man, my 16 year old son also has a friend but unfortunately he is not getting any help from social services, and is constantly embarrased by his alccoholic mum. he left to live with his father but went home when she started on his younger siblings.
It doesnt matter how many times its reported they turn up and she plays happy families, meanwhile there is a lad out there who is his mums punchbag and she is bypassing the system by playing on his fear for the little ones

temba

I was really shocked recently to watch a prog about kids in care. The main thing that stuck with me was what happened when they "left" care, that is: "became an adult" at 16/18/21 whatever age that is deemed to be. I was horrified to watch a 17 (I think he was 17) yr old try to make a home for himself in a flat whilst looking for a job/considering college. At that age my mum and dad talked through every decision with me, helped me financially, cooked my meals, and helped me find somewhere to live when I went to college. How any 17 yr old can be expected to cope alone emotionally, even if they can cope practically, is a joke. No wonder it is so hard to come out of care and float into higher education/good jobs etc. I felt really sad for the kids on that program, because their life was such a struggle, not because they asked for sympathy (which they didn't).

Thank you for posting this, and good luck helping this lad. This responses to this post sent shivers up my spine. There are such good people about. I think this is another example of a case study rather than statistics really making people think about actual realities.