History of the Young Person
When a Young person has multiple placement breakdowns we will look at the factors around the reasons why this could be reoccurring.
YP had been in multiple placements over the last two years, in fact, she had been in 22 placements ranging from residential, foster care and semi-independent. YP has been in care since the age of 14, prior to this she was living at home with her mother and two sisters.
Whilst YP was living at home with her mother she had become distant and disengaged from the family, her mother had stated this was due to her father leaving when she was 13 years old. YP started to smoke cannabis more often and would not return home for weeks at a time.
At the age of 15 she started to become sexually active and would seek attention from older males, it was reported that she was having sexual intercourse to fund her drug habit until YP finally settled with her current partner, who is two years older than her. YP’s relationship with her current partner is very volatile, they constantly argue and make threats towards each other.
At the age of 15, when YP was informed that her mother had been diagnosed with cancer, she struggled to process this information and became verbally abusive to her mother. At the age of 16, YP got the news that her mother’s cancer had now spread and become terminal.
Moving to LCS
We received the referral from the commissioning Local Authority, throughout the document it had highlighted the multiple placement moves and risk of absconding. The Patch Manager responded asking for additional information to be logged on our risk assessment, once we received this it was felt that we could match the Young Person’s needs to a shared provision.
The Patch Manager responded to the Local Authority, highlighting that we had a provision suitable to the Young person’s needs. After the Local Authority agreed that LCS would be the suitable provider we organised a meet and greet to ensure that YP had an idea of the provision, and to ensure that any questions she may have get answered.
How we worked
YP moved to LCS and a planning meeting was held to ensure that all professionals had a full understanding of the support and service we will be offering but within a week it was clear that she would struggle with rules, boundaries, budgeting and emotional health. The Patch Manger called a staff meeting to discuss YP’s care plan and support; at the meeting a clear action plan was agreed to ensure that we can support with all the factors she was struggling with, these were:
Health – CAHMS
-
AF-DASH referral (Drug and alcohol services)
-
Independent living skills
-
External agencies – short courses, cancer support line, phone support through McMillan
The Patch Manager and Support Worker then met with YP to discuss the support and her feelings on the support plan. YP was hesitant to engage, however this was broken down into sections and slowly she started to warm to the fact LCS were only trying their best to help. LCS also linked YP with an ex care leaver through the Local Authority, this was to promote engagement and for them to share experiences.
Positive Outcomes
The support plan started to come together and the following was achieved within a 9-month period:
Engaging with CAMHS – seeing the therapist fortnightly
Having weekly supervised contact with mother
Engaging with AF-DASH
Became part of the Children in Care Council to support others
Only 4 missing episodes within 9 months (3 being within the first two weeks of placement starting)
Relationship with boyfriend remains – this has become structured to suit YP’s life style.
YP is now in college after 7 years of being NEET
YP remains with LCS and is due to leave within the next 8 weeks to her post 18 accommodation, she remains settled and focused on her future career as a hairdresser.
