What does a social worker or personal advisor do?

Social worker

If you are in care and under the age of 18 years old, we must put a qualified social worker in charge of your case. 

Personal advisor

Once you reach 18, as a care leaver you will no longer have a social worker. You will instead have a personal advisor. You will have a personal adviser until you turn 25.

How your social worker or personal advisor can help you

Your social worker or personal advisor will: 

• Take you out and talk to you. They can help you understand what is happening and why. 
• Help with school problems. They will make sure you get the best support, so you do as well as possible. 
• Listen to any worries you have about your foster carers, their house, where you are living or other people you come into contact with. They will understand that sometimes you might not want them to share what you have said. What you tell your social worker or personal advisor stays between you. This is unless your worker is worried about your safety and needs to tell other people. 
• Write down what you want or what have said. Your social worker or personal advisor will explain to you what kind of things they need to record, and who is likely to see these records. If your social worker or personal advisor is sick, the new worker can read your records. They will not expect you to tell them everything again. 
• Make sure you understand your rights, by sharing things like the promise with you
• Make sure you understand how to get an independent advocate. This is if you are not happy with anything that is happening, or if you would like some independent support when attending meetings or your Child in Care (CinC) review.