Working with families

1. Working with families

2. Rationale • LAs talk about ‘sending people away’ to ISCs • LAs talk about students who attend ISPs being isolated from their local communities • LAs talk about how difficult it is to return to county after attending an ISC • ISCs are concerned about leavers and smooth transitions to the next phase of their lives • Harness the lessons learned by ex students, parents who have been through the process and college knowledge • To support families to work together to achieve good outcomes for students when they leave

3. What does your ISC do? Every college must have similar issues – How do you support families of college leavers to influence destination outcomes?

4. Practice At a SWISC meeting colleges agreed to run events to support ISC leavers in the county they are based • The events were NOT to recruit for our colleges but to support all young people returning or continuing to live locally to our colleges post course. • To support families to get to know each other • To share resources to enjoy activities post college

5. Fairfield Activities Students • Talk about interests • Collect stickers • Compare stickers • Introduce parents • Exchange details if appropriate Parents • Speakers: Community Connecting WEST Wiltshire Parents Carers Ex Students • ‘Circle Time’ to provide mutual support and ask questions

6. Nick’s Story

7. Nick’s Transition Plan Whilst at Lufton a possible outcome – Nick living with his mate Scott Lufton worked with both families The boys shared a house in their final year Transitioned to new home in final term • Lads living 5-6 days per week in new home • Supported 24 x7 by a team of four • Each has his own varied routine, with several activities together • First holiday booked for March 2014

8. What’s involved? • Parent(s) apply to be a Deputy of the Court of Protection:- • powers may apply to any aspect of the person’s life, including their finances, personal welfare and consenting to medical treatment and social care interventions Choose housemate(s)Agree location of new homeSelect support organisationDecide whether to use a landlord

9. Get the Local Authority ‘On side’ Know what you want and get organised Make it clear you are making the decisions Be very clear - there is only one acceptable outcome If you are a Deputy of the Court of Protection use these powers

10. Getting the right individual budget Plan potential activities

11. Getting the right individual budget Decide which activities are individual and which are shared with housemates Take advice as to what’s a reasonable budget Be firm, but also be prepared to negotiate

12. Getting the right house Calculate total housing benefit Identify house Sign lease/tenancy Apply for housing benefit

13. Moving in • Furnish the house • Appoint support workers • Set up bank accounts • One for individual budget • One for income & expenditure • Joint Account (with housemate) for utility bills, TV licence etc • Cashbook account for day to day spending

14. Nick & Scott’s House

15. Recommendations • Advertise through Natspec to get students and their families from other ISCs to attend • Make the activities appropriate for the group – parents want something different to students • Needs to be quite light, fun and engaging as well as informative • Give them homework! • Include speakers (parents and students) who have been through the process as well as professionals

16. Questions • How far do you involve the Local Authority? • Do you invite students from Local FE Colleges? • Do we invite future care providers? • Do we invite day services/other colleges? • Should we try to do an ‘Annual Families Day’ / ‘Transition Event’ across the sector which could be promoted by Natspec?