Have you ever been sitting in your office and it is nearing the end of the week. When all you are hoping is to escape early. When just as you start to pack up, you hear your name being called. This was my pleasure this week as I ventured over to my manager, operations manager and another manager. My bonus for doing this I found was an extra assessment, that was supposed to have been completed by a colleague two months ago.
I can still here the workers comments now “Yeah! no problem you can rely on me!” then to add insult “When I say I am going to get the job done I will!” Now, on top of my seemingly ever increasing case load I am reassessing the young persons leaving care needs! Guidance on Transitions for Young People in Care
I started by reading what has already been completed, and could quickly see why I had been asked to revisit the assessment. By far my favourite part so far has been in the Accommodation Section under – other options: “is the young person aware of other options? answer: The young person is aware of other options – Future Needs: The young person will access other options if needed”. Should the young person want to access other options I hope he knows what they are because I could not even guess what he might think they are.
“The main purpose of the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000 is to improve the life chances of young people living in and leaving local authority care. Its main aims are: to delay young people’s discharge from care until they are prepared and ready to leave; to improve the assessment, preparation and planning for leaving care; to provide better personal support for young people after leaving care; and to improve the financial arrangements for care leavers.” Leaving Care Act Guidance and regulations
When completing any assessment it is best to be completed in conjunction with the young person and all of the people that the young person see’s as important. The assessment framework triangle encourages the assessment to look at all of the domains interlinking and always with the child at the centre.
hownottodosocialwork 