Why?
It was recognised that referrals to adult services for Care Act assessments were inconsistent and young people were not being properly supported to engage with services.
What?
+ LB Wandsworth leaving care service have appointed a full time social worker to undertake Care Act assessments with older children in care and care leavers.
+ The post is funded by the leaving care team but supervised jointly by the service managers from leaving care and adult services.
+ The transition worker supports the allocated Personal Advisor, working with the young person to undertake the Care Act assessment and present it to the relevant panels. They will remain involved until the young person has settled into the new arrangement – which can take up to 12 months.
+ They mainly work with young people who have Autistic Spectrum Disorder or mental health issues. They are also able to undertake Mental Capacity Act assessments.
+ The transition worker gives greater consistency to the assessments and ensured the difficulties and challenges of leaving care are appropriately presented in any assessment.
+ For young people who do not meet adult service criteria the worker is able to support them and the PA to access additional support through the Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) (if it is in place).
+ Having a transition social worker has meant that the leaving care service has oversight of the young person pathway plan and support arrangements.
+ Having this specialist post in the team has helped to skill up the Personal Advisors through their formal and informal guidance.
Impact
The transition social worker supports about 25-27 young people at a time, but over 60 young people have been supported since the post was created. It has lead to a greater consistency in the assessment, with more young people receiving appropriate support.
