THROUGHCARE AND AFTERCARE OF LOOKED AFTER CHILDREN IN SCOTLAND
ANNEX F Throughcare & Aftercare Working Group
THROUGHCARE AND AFTERCARE ASSESSMENT AND ACTION PLANNING FRAMEWORK
Introduction
The aim of the throughcare and aftercare assessment and action planning framework is to improve the outcomes for all young people who are leaving care in Scotland. It should enhance and complement existing practice, thereby improving the level of support for young people as they cease to be looked after.
The proposed throughcare & aftercare assessment and action planning approach is multi-purpose. It should:
- identify and meet a young person's throughcare and aftercare needs;
- improve practice by filling gaps in support and service delivery;
- promote a holistic and integrated approach.
Key Principles
The following key principles apply to this framework for throughcare and aftercare assessment.
- Young-person centred, guided by the young person's views.
- A positive approach, which focuses on strengths, abilities and aspirations.
- A multi-disciplinary and modular approach, carried out in partnership with other agencies (via both formal and informal arrangements).
- An on-going process, starting at a suitable point for each individual young person.
- Participative and flexible, which encourages young people's involvement.
- Sets realistic and achievable short- and long-term goals.
- Progress and achievements, however large or small are always acknowledged and celebrated.
- Respects privacy and seeks consent for sharing information, on a need-to-know basis.
- Encourages planning and preparation throughout the leaving care process.
- Acknowledges that transitions to adulthood take place in stages, and can often involve steps back to more familiar and supportive environments.
The Process
The throughcare and aftercare assessment that is carried out using this framework is central to an on-going and seamless process of supporting young people during their transition to adulthood. The process will begin at an appropriate time for the young person when they are looked after, and will end when they are living more independently and no longer require aftercare support.
It is important to emphasise that the whole assessment and planning process is not linear, but a circular process. Once the process is triggered, it involves an ongoing cycle of: assessing need - agreement - action planning - reviewing - re-assessing need - agreement - new action plan - reviewing and so on.
The key elements of this process are:
Identifying Links to Other Practice
Links need to be identified with existing practice and procedures, across teams, departments and other agencies to promote a fully integrated approach. Clear links to existing approaches and models of practice are established and maintained, for example with the Looking After Children Action and Assessment Records, housing assessments and other assessment and planning tools or resources.
Looking After Children Action and Assessment Records
Scottish Local Authorities have, or are in the process of, adopting this approach and the related materials for looked after children and young people. The throughcare and aftercare assessment and action planning process should directly and seamlessly lead on from the Looking After Children procedures.
In particular, material for assessing throughcare and aftercare needs should follow on from the 15+ action and assessment record.
Inclusiveness Assessment Process
Careers Scotland is currently developing an approach to measure effectively a young person's education, training and employment needs.
Triggering the Process
A young person's throughcare and aftercare assessment should begin when it is agreed that the appropriate time has been reached, as decided by a Looked After Child Review and LAC action and assessment records. This should be early enough for effective assessment and planning to take place, but also needs to be in line with the young person's maturity and their desire and readiness to look at moving on. The young person may want to trigger the process, if they decide to consider moving on. A young person's throughcare needs should be discussed at appropriate childcare reviews prior to and during the throughcare and aftercare assessment process.
Mapping Personal Goals and Support Needs
A key step, from the beginning of the process is to support young people to explore, identify and map out their own thoughts about their future. This will assist them in beginning to identify areas for personal development and goals they wish to achieve. This is a key task in finding out where a young person is starting from and to explore their own hopes and fears for the future.
Action Planning
The process involves establishing, agreeing and setting achievable goals and suitable timescales. This involves identifying the various roles and responsibilities for each individual and agency that is involved, so measurable progress can be made. All action planning should be fully recorded and should be fully accessible for the young person concerned. Senior management have a responsibility to monitor action plans.
Reviewing
An open forum for discussion needs to be established, which follows on from LAC reviewing process. The aim is to recognise progress, to set new goals or to continue with existing goals. Action points are agreed and future timescales are set, which includes dates for subsequent reviewing opportunities. The focus of reviews will change over time from throughcare needs to longer-term aftercare needs. Attempts should be made to resolve any possible conflicts of interest or disagreements at a review, before further complaints procedures are undertaken. Independent advocacy support should also be promoted.
Consulting Young People
Throughout the assessment and planning process, young people must be consulted and fully involved in each stage. This is especially important when identifying and agreeing who is best placed to address certain areas of focus.
Consulting and Including Parents and Family Members
Throughout the process, it is vital to include parents and important family members. Where appropriate, they should be encouraged to play their role during the young person's transition to adulthood.
Contingency Planning
Throughcare and aftercare planning should identify potential "safety nets" for each individual young person, for times of crisis or if part of their aftercare support should breakdown. Contingency planning should not promote a sense of failure, but instead a safe opportunity to try again.
Accountability
The recording of who has agreed to carry out which tasks, how and by when is crucial. This is to ensure that a young person's throughcare and aftercare needs are being fully addressed. When goals are not achieved, reasons for any delays or difficulties should be agreed and recorded too.
Named Throughcare and Aftercare Co-ordinator
To maintain consistency during the on-going assessment, planning and reviewing process, each young person should have a named throughcare and aftercare co-ordinator. This person will play a vital role in ensuring that the various areas of focus are being addressed and action plans are being followed.
A Modular and Co-ordinated Approach
The format of this framework has been geared towards a modular approach. The various areas of focus can be completed independently by whoever is best placed to carry out this work. The outcomes would then be collated in a portfolio format by one co-ordinator. Alternatively, there may be just one individual who takes forward the assessment and action planning with the young person.
A Sense of Ownership
As the young person's throughcare and aftercare assessment takes place, the action plan should promote a sense of ownership for the young person. Young people should have copies of everything that is recorded. The outcomes should be recorded in a young person friendly format, which promotes a sense of value to the goals and achievements made.
Decreasing Aftercare Support
The assessment and action planning process will eventually consider when aftercare support should gradually tail off. Aftercare support should not abruptly end, and discontinuation of support should be the result of an action planning agreement. In some cases, it may be necessary to transfer responsibilities for support over to community care services for adults.
Staff Development and Training
All relevant support staff and carers must have access to appropriate training opportunities that promote positive throughcare and aftercare work with young people. Training should also address partnership working between the various teams and agencies that may be involved in the assessment and planning process.
Monitoring Outcomes
It will be important to monitor and evaluate the outcomes for young people as they are leaving care. Periodically, anonymous information should be collated for the purpose of evaluating the effectiveness of the process. National information may also be required on a yearly basis by the Scottish Executive, to monitor service provision across the whole of Scotland.
Performance measures have been identified to track progress in local authorities' provision of throughcare and aftercare services.
Areas of Focus
In order to complete a comprehensive throughcare and aftercare assessment, there are several areas of focus that should be addressed. Each of these areas will come under one of the following sections:
(a) Background Information
- 1. Family History
- 2. Care History
- 3. Education History
- 4. Health Background
(b) Throughcare Preparation for Leaving Care
- 5. Health, Well-Being & Identity Profile
- 6. Family & Social Relationships
- 7. Social Presentation & Self-Care Skills
- 8. Community & Social Involvement
- 9. Accommodation Wishes
- 10. Further Education, Training & Employment Profile
(c) On-going Aftercare Support Needs
- 11. Housing Support Needs
- 12. Financial Situation
- 13. Further Education, Training & Employment On-going Needs
- 14. Personal Support
- 15. Planning for Unforeseen Events
Each section or individual area of focus should be completed by the identified person, in agreement with the young person. This could be one person (e.g. social worker, throughcare worker) or it could be more than one person, depending on who is involved with the young person and which areas of knowledge or expertise the person may have (e.g. careers adviser, residential worker, foster carer, accommodation support worker, project worker).
The outcomes of each part of the throughcare and aftercare assessment process should be recorded in a clear and understandable format, with the young person having access to a copy. Each section can be added as it is completed, so that a comprehensive assessment is built which fully informs the action planning process.
The following areas of focus should be included in the throughcare and aftercare assessment, and then addressed in the young person's action plan:
(a) Background Information
This section should be drawn from information previously gathered by the young person's social worker. It will be presented in summary, and should only present information that is relevant to the young person's throughcare and aftercare needs. The information recorded should respect the young person's privacy. Where information of a sensitive nature needs to be recorded and shared, the young person should be made fully aware of the reasons for doing so.
1. Family History
Who are the principal members of the young person's immediate, extended or substitute family?
What was the family's attitude to their being in care?
How much family contact did they have while in care?
2. Care History
At what age and why did they young person come into care?
How many placements did the young person experience and for how long?
What benefits were gained from being in care?
What difficulties did they face while in care?
Are there any specific issues arising from being in care that will impact on their ability to live independently?
Was support provided by any other agency while in care? Has this contact ended?
3. Education History
What did the young person attain during their school education?
Did they have any difficulties at school, including specific learning difficulties and/or literacy and numeracy issues?
What was their attitude towards school and learning?
4. Health Background
Has the young person had any significant health problems?
Do they have a history of mental health issues?
(b) Throughcare Preparation for Leaving Care
These areas should be addressed while the young person is still in care, at the beginning of the throughcare and aftercare assessment process. Assessment and action planning around these areas will continue during the young person's transition to more independent living.
5. Health, Well-Being & Identity Profile
Does the young person have any on-going health issues, including mental health, alcohol and substance misuse, eating disorders?
Do they have any physical disabilities?
Are they dependent on medication?
How does the young person cope with stressful situations?
Are they aware of their sexual health needs?
How do they portray their personal identity? (including religious, cultural, and sexual identity)
Do they live a healthy life-style? Are there any barriers to this?
Are they registered with a GP and dentist?
6. Family & Social Relationships
What kind of on-going support will any family members provide?
What are the young person's views towards maintaining family contact?
How often do they see family members, who in particular and where does this take place? Are their any barriers?
Who is important to the young person?
What is the young person's contact like with their peers? Is it positive, where does it take place and how often?
How do they relate to others? Are there any difficulties?
7. Social Presentation & Self-Care Skills
What are the young person's practical, every day living skills? Are there any gaps?
Can they take care of their personal appearance?
Are they aware of personal and household safety?
Do they present as being self-confident and do they have high self-esteem?
Does the young person communicate well? Do they require any help with assertiveness?
Do they have any behavioural or anger management difficulties?
How do they interact socially?
8. Community & Social Involvement
What are the young person's leisure interests and hobbies?
What do they enjoy doing in their leisure time? Are their any difficulties with this?
Are their any barriers to the young person being socially involved in their community?
Do they prefer group or team activities, individual pursuits or both?
9. Accommodation Wishes
Where would the young person like to live in the short and long term?
Who would they like to live with?
What kind of accommodation would they prefer?
10. Further Education, Training & Employment Profile
What have the young person's future educational needs been identified as?
What further learning wishes does the young person have?
What skills do they have? Are there any gaps?
What vocational interests do they have? How would they like to pursue them? Are there any barriers?
What are the young person's strengths and abilities
What support is required to make progress?
(c) On-going Aftercare Support Needs
These sections are especially relevant once the young person is moving out of their care placement. Each area should continue to be addresses and reviewed, until the time when it is agreed that the young person no longer requires aftercare support.
11. Housing Support Needs
How does the young person view their housing support needs?
What are the support worker's views about on-going support and accommodation that may be required?
What kind of supportive accommodation is most suitable for the young person?
What range of suitable accommodation is available in the chosen area?
12. Financial Situation
What are the young person's current sources of income? Will this change in the future?
What are their current financial support needs? (including leisure, family contact, clothing, training & employment, bills, etc.)
Is there any additional financial support required in the future? When and how should this be accessed?
Does the young person have a bank account? Do they save regularly? Are there any barriers to this?
What are the potential financial needs in a crisis?
Will they be looking to claim benefits? Are they eligible?
13. Further Education, Training & Employment On-going Needs
Is the young person attending a further or higher education course? What progress are they making?
Are they participating in vocational training? What have their achievements been?
Are they currently employed? (full time, part time or voluntary work)
What are the young person's educational, training and employment aspirations and goals?
What support is needed to help them achieve their goals?
14. Personal Support
What personal support does the young person require?
Have there been any difficulties in gaining this support?
Who is best placed to offer personal support? Who does the young person prefer?
15. Planning for Unforeseen Events
Who can the young person contact for support in a crisis or emergency?
Is there support or advice available outside working hours?
Developing Good Practice
To translate this policy into good throughcare and aftercare practice, the following areas should be applied:
- Consult existing information on assessment principles, policies and practice. This information may relate to current national and local developments, or existing practice and procedures within your organisation.
- All those involved in a young person's care should be made aware importance and benefits of the throughcare and aftercare assessment and action planning process. This should include access to training and development opportunities.
- Work in partnership with staff and carers in other teams, departments and agencies, to decide together who is best placed to carry out particular areas of focus with a young person.
- A young person's consent must be sought in order to gather or share any relevant information. The reasons should be fully explained and consent should be recorded in writing. Exactly who needs to be contacted, informed or involved should be carefully considered.
- When producing and carrying out assessments and action plans, all terminology used should be in plain language and must be clear and understandable for all those involved. Efforts should also be made to produce and record relevant information in the most appropriate language or format (e.g. Braille) as determined by the young person's needs. Documents should be produced in a format that is appealing to young people, which does not disempower them.
- Whilst the throughcare and aftercare assessment is initially triggered by a review decision, this should happen when all parties are in agreement. It should be acknowledged that the young person themselves may initiate these discussions themselves.
Future Action
Further work will be required to translate this guidance into tools for using in practice. This will consist of:
1. Additional consultation with front-line practitioners and service providers to gain their views on how this framework can be effectively developed and applied in practice.
2. Consultation with young people with experience of leaving care, to ensure that the approach is appealing and beneficial to young people.
3. Decide on appropriate terminology and a suitable format for the framework, which promotes a positive approach, records achievement, avoids jargon and is easy to use.
4. Establish clear links with the LAC 15+ materials and the LAC Steering Group, to determine how the assessment and action planning framework will be integrated in practice.
5. Produce a useful and accessible working tool, which can be easily applied across the whole of Scotland.
6. Consider and address the training and staff development needs, so that good practice can be reinforced.
