Care and respect and relationships

You are at the center of everything that we do and we want to make sure that you feel safe, happy and cared for. To do this we will make sure that we always treat you with care and respect.

• We will make sure that we will talk to you and write about you in a way that you can understand
• Listen to your views and opinions about your future and make sure you are included in your plans
• Be aspirational for you and your plans for the future
• Celebrate your successes
• You will be supported to move home with dignity, care and respect
• You can access the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) who offer advice, help and support with things like emotional wellbeing and legal advice

We also know that there may be times when young people identify as a gender different to the one they were born with, or identify by a different first name or surname to the one they were given at birth.  We will respect your wishes and pay for you to have your name legally changes by deed poll when you are 18 if this is something that is important to you and how you identify.

We will always check which pronouns you would like us to use when talking with or about you:

• She/Her
• He/Him
• They/Them

We know that when you turn 18 you are likely to have been supported by your social worker for a long time. We will make sure that you have the opportunity to say goodbye to them, if this is something that you want to do.

We also make sure that you have the support of a PA before you turn 16 so that you have the opportunity to build a stable and trusting relationship with them. We will not change your PA unless we have to or unless you want us to. If there is going to be a change we will talk to you about this so that you are prepared and have the opportunity to meet your new PA.

At the point where we are taking a step back we will tell you what our thoughts and memories of you are for you to keep. This will be things like:

• How we first met
• A funny story we share
• Our favourite memory of you
• A wish for your future

The Core is a welcoming space just for care-experienced young people like you! It’s a place where you can:

• Hang out and meet new friends
• Catch up with your personal advisor (PA)
• Join fun sessions like cooking and eating together
• Access washers and dryers if you need to do some laundry
• Take a shower if you need a freshen up
• Enjoy a hot meal – no need to go hungry
• Chill out and relax in a safe environment
• Play games like pool and take part in activities
• Get support until you’re 25 – whether it’s housing, education, jobs, or just someone to talk to
• It’s your space to feel comfortable, get help when you need it, and connect with others who understand your journey.

The Core timetable

Monday CORE

Drop in to our leaving care hub on Corporation Street, centre of town every Monday 2.00pm to 6.00pm "It's not just a Monday anymore - Monday is now Core day and something to look forward to" T - Care experienced young person.

Active CORE

Come and join us every Thursday at Stanley Park Sports Centre 3.30pm to 5.300pm Stanley Park Leisure Centre. Get active, have fun and be part of the community!

Zen CORE

A Space to breathe and grow - This takes place on the 2nd Thursday of each month at The CORE between 3.00pm to 6.30pm - please speak to your PA for more details. Looking for a calm, welcoming place where you can feel supported and build confidence? Zen CORE is an invite-only group designed for young people who prefer a quieter environment and want to connect with others in a positive way.

We also have a range of activities that you can access such as:

• Care Leavers Month
• You Rock Awards and the annual Shake it up Conference.
• If you have a hobby or interest that means that you can expand your friendship group and support network then we will support you to attend these.
• Check out some of the youth groups that are in Blackpool

If you are one of our young people who has arrived in the UK without their parents or close family and you want to be supported to attend place's of worship or to join groups that support your religion, please let your PA know.

If you are interested in exploring you heritage we can support you with this. If you would like to do this, ask your PA and they will help you.

Want to know more about particular cultural practice's linked you your heritage, let your PA know and they will support you to do this.

We know, because you have told us, that relationships are important to you and we want to make sure that when you leave our care you have stable, trusting relationships with the people that support you but also those people who are important to you. We want to help you have a group of people that you can turn to if you need help but also people you can tell that you are doing well and celebrate your successes with.

Your PA will take time to really get to know you so that you have a strong, trusting relationship that will mean they can help and support you in the best way possible.

The aim of life long links is to make sure that care experienced children and young people have a positive support network around them to help them during their time in care and when they become adults.

The lifelong links model includes tools and techniques for lifelong links coordinators to use to search for and find family members (known or unknown to the young person) and other adults (such as former foster carers or teachers) who care about the young person. They will then bring you all together to make a life-long support plan, with and for, the young person. Lifelong Links - Family Rights Group.

Speak to your PA for more information and to see if this is something that you could be involved with.

There are a range of services that you can access if you are struggling with the loss of a loved on. Speak to you PA who will help you to access these:

• Cruse Lancashire Contact your local branch - Cruse Bereavement Support
• The Adelaide Street Family Practice website has a number of links that provide support
• Linden Centre for end of life care Counselling and support - Trinity Hospice
• After suicide Winston wish Suicide Bereavement Support | Death Through Suicide | Winston's Wish (winstonswish.org)
• Online resources for self care I am a young adult aged 18 to 25 - Grief Encounter

If you have the responsibility for acting as a carer for another person in your life there is lots of support available to you from Blackpool Carers Centre.  They are a local charity that can provides specialist support, respite and outings for unpaid carers from the age of 5 years and their families. They help carers to create friendships, feel less isolated, strengthen their resilience and make happy memories.

Am I a young carer?

See if you could be eligible for support from the Carers Centre.