How your Personal Adviser helps you
Your Personal Adviser is usually your Social Worker until you turn 18. After that, they are called your Leaving Care Worker. In Somerset, Leaving Care Workers usually start working with young people by the time they are 17½. Sometimes, they may start earlier, from age 16.
Your Personal Adviser is there to support you with the things you might need help with, such as:
- managing money and learning how to save
- finding the right education, training or job
The support you get will be written down in your Pathway Plan. This plan explains how we will help you and what support is right for you.
Your Personal Adviser can support you as you leave care and, if you want, up to the age of 25. How much support you get depends on what you need and your situation.
Everyone’s situation is different. You can talk openly with your Personal Adviser about the help you need, and they will work with you to look at any extra support that might be useful.
You might need extra support if:
- you have special educational needs or a disability
- you are an Unaccompanied Young Person Seeking Asylum and your immigration status is unclear
- you are in custody, leaving custody, or have had contact with the criminal justice system
- you are a young parent
- you are going through a difficult time in your personal life
Your Personal Adviser will:
- be there to support you
- meet with you regularly
- write your first Pathway Plan with you
- help you update your plan at least every 6 months, or more often if your situation changes
We will try to make sure you keep the same Personal Adviser, although sometimes this is not possible.
The law says that local authorities must offer Personal Adviser support to care leavers up to the age of 25, if they want it. This means you can ask for support up to 25, whether you are in education or training, or not.
GOV.UK Guidance – Extending Personal Adviser support to age 25
Contact with your Personal Adviser
You and your Personal Adviser will agree how they stay in touch with you. They will keep in regular contact. This could be through visits, phone calls, or text messages.
Until you turn 18, you will usually hear from your Personal Adviser once a month. Sometimes, you might agree on a different plan if that works better for you.
After you turn 18, you and your Personal Adviser will agree when and where to meet. How often you meet will depend on how much support you need at the time.
For example, if you are moving into your own place, you might need more help to get settled. As you get older and feel more confident and independent, you may decide that you need less contact and support from us.
We will always talk things through with you and agree what feels right for you.
If you need to speak to us, phone Somerset Direct 0300 123 2224 between 8:30am and 5pm. They will make sure your call goes to the right person.
You can also email: childrens@somerset.gov.uk