SLC Help - Letter of support for an estranged student

faerie_of_penguins

Wondering if anyone can help. My friend is estranged from his parents and has been told that he needs a detailed letter from a professional who knows him. Anyone know what it should include?

QuirkyChemistry

If in doubt check with the SLC. I would have thought it needed:

How long he has been estranged from his parents
Why/how he became estranged
How he has been supporting himself and who he has been living with
How he will continue supporting himself

Those are just my thoughts. If in doubt put in too much information.

Beverley

faerie_of_penguins wrote: »

Wondering if anyone can help. My friend is estranged from his parents and has been told that he needs a detailed letter from a professional who knows him. Anyone know what it should include?

Is he living in supported accomodation? If so, the staff there should be able to do it for him? Has he attended college? If so, the staff should be aware of his accommodation situation and they can write the letter oin his behalf.

It will need to include how long he has lived independently of his parents.

Oldernotwiser

Beverley wrote: »

Is he living in supported accomodation? If so, the staff there should be able to do it for him? Has he attended college? If so, the staff should be aware of his accommodation situation and they can write the letter oin his behalf.

It will need to include how long he has lived independently of his parents.

The staff at his college will only know of his situation because he's told them of it, so they aren't likely to be acceptable. His social worker will be the best person to write and the information should include what's suggested above. Checking with the SLC would also be a good idea.

faerie_of_penguins

Thanks for all the help, I've passed it on.

He doesn't have a social worker and is in privately rented accommodation. The Local Authority already accepted his status as estranged over a year ago as he was on Income Support.

roxalana

Estrangement cases are difficult and advice can only really be given on a case by case basis.

Based on the above, the professionals to involve would still be someone at college who knew of his circumstances at the time (even if that person only knew because of what they were told by the student) and getting something from the people who administered the income support would be helpful (the LEA can't ask for this info directly from IS even if they are part of the same council - The student will need to request it due to data protection).