Support, through your Personal Advisor (PA)

Your PA will keep in touch with you and provide practical support (like help filling out a job application), discuss your needs, tell you about different options for living, studying and working. They will help you make choices that are right for you and you can ask your PA to come along to meetings and appointments if you don’t feel confident going by yourself. Often your PA will refer you to someone else who will be able to give you the exact support you need.

We will always try to keep you working with the same PA, although this will not always be possible. If you request a change, we will consider this. 

Everyone is different and your relationship with your PA will change as you get older. When you turn 21 you may decide you no longer need support from a PA, but if you do, you can reconnect with your PA at any time before you turn 25.

If you have been out of touch with the Leaving Care Service but are still under 25 and want help or advice, please get in touch. We will meet with you to complete a new Pathway Plan and work with you to agree what support you need. 

Your Pathway Plan is a legal document, which sets out a clear plan for your future and will set out the agreed level of contact between you and your PA. Your PA will meet with you in person at least every eight weeks until you turn 21 (this will sometimes be at your home). If at any time, you need more support or advice, you can contact your PA and they will meet with you. After 21, your contact with your PA will be agreed between the two of you and will be based on your needs. 

We want your thoughts on what’s going well, and what could be better. We’d love you to join Speaker Box, Southwark Council’s care and care leaver forum. You can help run campaigns and make videos on important topics, share your thoughts in monthly meet-ups or just meet new friends by coming to some of their events. To get in touch, call us on 020 7525 3186 or email speaker.box@southwark.gov.uk. 

Who can I turn to if I am unhappy with the support I have been getting or want to discuss it? 

We want to help make things better – and to learn when things need to change or improve so that others don’t have the same issues.

We want to hear about any issues that you have that been unable to resolve with your PA. You can email; careleavers@southwark.gov.uk to raise a concern. This email account is checked by the Service Manager and other senior staff who can make themselves available to meet with you as a priority to try and sort things out. 

You want to speak to someone who doesn’t work for Southwark Council.

You have the right to an Independent Advocate (who doesn’t work for the Council) who can inform you about your rights and help you be heard.  At Southwark Council, this service is provided by the charity Coram Voice. You can contact them on the phone on 0808 800 5792 or visit their website for more information. 

What do I do if I want to make a complaint about the support I have been getting or another issue with Children’s Services? 

You can make a complaint about any part of Children’s Services through the Complaints Team. More information about making a complaint with Children’s Service is available on Southwark’s website or you can call 020 7525 3977. You can also email the complaints service on sscomplaints@southwark.gov.uk.