Specific circumstances for Care Leavers

Whilst you are in custody, we will

Visit you in prison at least once every eight weeks at least until your 21st birthday; we will continue to visit you at least every eight weeks until your 25th birthday unless you tell us that you don’t want us to do so.

Send you £5 per week up to the age of 21 to spend on essential items in prison as long as you are engaging in regular visits/pathway plan reviews with your Personal Adviser.

If you have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) it can be provided by a member of the Virtual School to the educational staff in custody. This will help to ensure that you are getting the right support with education.  Annual reviews will take place if an EHCP is actively being used.

Make sure there is a clear plan with you and your network about what will happen when you are released e.g. where you are going to live and what support you will need. This will include a referral to our Young People’s Service (YPS) if you are moving to live in Cheshire West and Chester. YPS supports young people into education, employment and training. If you will live outside of this borough, YPS will help identify local services for your support.

Once you are released from custody, we will

Come and pick you up from prison on your day of release and take you to where you are going to be staying going forward, if you would like us to.

Continue to speak regularly or meet with you and your probation officer, to make sure you are getting all the support you need from them. 

Continue to support you with regular visits and reviews of your Pathway Plan, also working with Housing, Health, Job/Career, Adult Social Care, to help maximise your opportunities to thrive.