Isle of Wight Local Offer for care leavers

Following changes introduced through the Children and Social Work Act 2017, you can ask for support from your personal adviser up to the age of 25 whether you are in education or training or not. This is to try to make sure care leavers receive similar support to young adults who live with their families.

Isle of Wight Local Offer for care leavers

As your corporate parent, we continue to be responsible for you after you have turned 18. We must make sure that you are safe, healthy and are achieving your goals. As any good parent, we want to make sure you have the best possible support to help you thrive as you grow older.
We will do our best to help you achieve your goals. We know it is a big step when you move out of foster care and start living on your own. Being a good parent means keeping in touch and providing you with the support you need to meet your individual needs.
Just because you are leaving care, or have already left care, we have not stopped caring about you. We want you to know where to go for help and advice.
The Local Offer is for all care leavers and sets out how we will support you.
To be able to get the support on offer you must have been in care for at least 13 weeks between the ages of 14 and 16 (including your sixteenth birthday) or for 13 weeks after your sixteenth birthday. Your personal adviser will talk to you about what is in this offer.

Accessing support and help when you're over the age of 16 years

As a care leaver, there is a range of support services available to you. If there is anything you do not understand or need further information about, your PA can advise you.

Key contact numbers for IWC services:

  • Isle of Wight Leaving Care team, 01983 823434
  • Care leavers’ participation worker, 07779 999902
  • Housing advice, 01983 823040

All of the services listed above are located at County Hall, High Street, Newport, Isle of Wight, PO30 1UD.

Additional support services

We have also listed various other organisations that you can go to for help.

Hampshire County Council provide a useful online glossary  of terms for young people in care and care leavers. The glossary provides a list of terms you may hear with an explanation of what the terms mean. 

Independent Advocacy

You have a right to be involved in all decisions about your plans for leaving care. You have a right to support from an independent advocate if you are thinking about challenging decisions about the care we give you or the support you receive from other professionals. Independent advocates can inform you about your rights and help you to be heard in meetings. They are separate from social services. 

Young people can access advocacy support from The National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS). They provide a confidential service and independent advice, information and representation. NYAS can be contacted by:

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