Supported care helps young adults to gain the necessary skills and experience they need to move into independent living.
When young people are not yet fully ready to make this transition, your care can provide a stepping stone to help them develop the resilience, skills and emotional maturity for successful and independent lives.
Our young people live with our supported carers and their families, working together to learn important day-to-day skills, strengthen their confidence and initiative, and develop their self-esteem as adults in a safe and caring environment.
These care arrangements are often time-limited. The young person will have a plan, which we review regularly. It sets out what support they need to safely progress towards independent living, along with realistic timescales.
Supporting young people leaving care
As a supported carer, the young people living with you will be forming the skills they need for independence, such as:
- cooking
- housekeeping
- finances
- staying safe
- developing hobbies
- staying in touch with friends and family
- emotional maturity
With our support, you will also help young people to navigate:
- employment
- training
- further education
- benefit entitlements and maximising income
- ongoing support needs, such as therapeutic services
We will also work with you to help young people with their wellbeing so they are able to cope with issues such as loneliness, isolation or low self-esteem.
Young people and supported care
The young people you will support will usually be school leaving age up to the age of 22.
Each young person will have a plan in place covering:
- accommodation
- education
- employment and training
- health and wellbeing
- emotional and social support
Each plan will be unique to a young person, supporting them to become independent, valued individuals who feel part of their family, neighbourhood and community networks.
Becoming a supported carer
You don’t need any formal qualifications to become a supported carer. You will be drawing on your own life experience, and we will support you through an induction programme and ongoing training, as well as regular support and contact from a qualified social worker.
There are not many restrictions to who can become a supported carer – in fact our carers come from a fantastic range of backgrounds and walks of life. We do ask that you:
- are aged 21 or over
- have a spare bedroom
What is important is compassion and a genuine interest in helping young people, all who will have different life experiences. You will need:
- an appreciation and awareness of their individual needs, including those with care experience, and of different backgrounds, ethnicities and religions
- patience, kindness and drive, while providing a safe and inclusive home that nurtures personal growth
- passion and commitment to providing care and promoting the needs and wishes of young people
You will also need to work towards an agreed plan, undertake relevant training, and develop positive working relationships with people who are important to the young person in your care.
Supported carer assessment process
Supported carers are assessed by our social work team and approved by a panel of professionals. This process takes approximately four months, with regular visits from your assessing social worker to find out more about you and your household. The process also allows you to fully consider if the role is right for you at this time, and we will be there to support you and your household through the whole process.
We don’t expect everyone’s lives to have been event-free. Where life has presented hurdles, we’re interested in open conversations about how you managed these and moved forward. After all, your experiences will inform a lot of how you support a young person.
We will consider your full household during the process. Everyone will be impacted by a young person coming to live with you, and they will also be contributing with their own experiences. We will ask your consent to make a number of background checks. This will include police, social service and health checks, as well as personal references.
Benefits of being a carer
You will be supported to make a massive difference to the lives of young people in your care. In addition, you will receive:
- an allowance for each young person living with you
- the support of our team, including regular, supportive visits from an allocated social worker
- access to a range of relevant and interesting training
- wellbeing support
You may also be entitled to financial support to ensure you and your home is ready to welcome a young person.
Our carers tell us there is so much more to the role in addition to this, and how rewarding it is to see young people flourishing with their support and able to move on to lead successful and fulfilling lives. You can read about one of our supported carer’s experiences and find out why they believe becoming a care is one of the best decisions they’ve ever made.
Supported care and the law
Supported care is the term used to describe the responsibilities to, and services provided for young people preparing to leave or who have left local authority care. Our duties are set out in the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 and related regulations and guidance.