A care plan sets down on paper what you need and how you are going to be cared for.
Your social worker will draw up the plan after talking about it with you and also other people who are important to you and want the best for you.
Every child who is looked after has a care plan.
The plan will say:
- what it is hoped will happen to you in the future
- if you are going to keep in touch with your family and how often
- where you are going to school and what help you need in class: you will have a personal education plan
- what you need to keep you healthy and well: you will have an individual health plan
The care plan is discussed at your review and changes can be made as they are needed.
Reviews
A review is a meeting of people who know you or know something about you. It is to discuss and think about your care plan.
The people taking part in your review meeting will be:
- You - if you want to be there.
- Your mum or dad - or another member of your family.
- Your carer
- Your social worker
- A reviewing officer: someone who is in charge of the meeting.
- Sometimes a teacher or a school nurse may come to your meeting.
- You can have an interpreter or translator at the meeting if you need one.
Your review meeting will be held every so often to talk about how things are going for you. Everyone at the meeting will want to find out how you are doing. They will also look at ways to make sure that everything goes well for you in the future.
Before your review your social worker will ask you and everybody invited to the review meeting to write down what they would like the meeting to know. Your carer and social worker will help you to decide what you want to say.
Your review meeting is a time for everyone to listen to how people think you are doing and to discuss what is the best thing for you. The reviewing officer will write down what everybody thinks is best for you and you will be sent a copy.
If you are not at your review meeting your social worker or carer will discuss what was said with you. If you're not happy with any of the arrangements, you need to tell someone.