We must offer you the option to have support from a Personal Adviser until your 25th birthday. (Prior to April 2018, most Personal Adviser support ended when care leavers turned 21). If you are aged between 21-25 and your case has been closed you can contact us on 0345 045 5203 to re-open it.
Your support options age 21-25
- If you request Personal Adviser support to continue after you are 21, we must provide it
- If you don’t want a Personal Adviser after your 21st birthday, you do not have to have one
- If you’ve said no to having a Personal Adviser, you can change your mind at any time up until your 25th birthday. If you return and ask for Personal Adviser support, we must provide it
- If you’ve said yes to Personal Adviser support you can also change your mind at any time. If you tell us that you don’t want a Personal Adviser any more, we must withdraw the support
- If you choose to continue with Personal Adviser support you will still need to have a Pathway Plan
Pathway Planning age 21-25
After you turn 21, Pathway Planning will focus on the specific issues or difficulties that you and your Personal Adviser have identified together. Your Personal Adviser will provide guidance and support to help you.
- Your Pathway Plan will only need to cover things that you and your Personal Adviser identify.
- If you only want support for a short time this is fine.
- Your Pathway Plan will only need to be in place while you are receiving support.
- You will have responsibilities to work with your Personal Adviser and to carry out your parts of the plan.
Access to funding
Your Personal Adviser support includes helping you to identify sources of funding. Some funding arrangements, for example, access to your Leaving Care Grant, will be able to continue after you’re 21. Generally, we won’t provide new funding after you’re 21.
