Inspiring Futures

The Inspiring Futures Team (IFT) is a dedicated service for young people aged 17-25 who either are currently in care or have been in care. Our team is made up of a combination of Social Workers, Personal Advisors, and Education, Training, and Employment (ETE) Advisors.

To qualify for the service a young person must have spent at least 13 weeks in care after their 14th birthday. This could be in a single period or several different periods of care. They must have also been in care on or after their 16th birthday.

We want every young person who has been looked after in the care system to be successful and to know that they have someone on their side who can support them. Support can be offered to the age of 25 if a young person feels they still want our support.

At the age of 17, an IFT Personal Advisor is co-allocated to work with the young person as they transition to 18yrs, alongside their Social Worker. The Personal Advisors' main task during the co-working stage is to get to know the young person and to develop a supportive relationship with them.

At the age of 18, the Personal Advisor becomes the lead worker. The role of the PA is to offer a wide range of support and information to help young people make informed positive choices. Relationship-based practice is at the heart of everything we do and we feel this is key to achieving successful outcomes for our young people leaving care.

We work with each young person to draw up a Pathway Plan which focuses on the following areas: Personal Support, Accommodation, Education/Training/Employment (ETE), Physical Health and Emotional Well-being, Independent Living, Family Contact, Hobbies/Social/Leisure, Financial Support, Young parent/Carer, Ethnicity/Culture/Identity. Plans are reviewed every six months or sooner if there has been a significant change.

We work closely with other colleagues, agencies, and partners to deliver a holistic service to young people leaving care. This includes Housing, Health, Police, Substance Misuse, Emotional/Mental Health, and Adult Social Care.

Contact Us

If you require any advice or support in this area then please ring us, we are happy to help at 01302 737 559. You can also access additional information by clicking on the link below: Our Local Offer to Care Leavers.

Children in Care & Achieving Permanence

Children, Young People, and Families Directorate

Doncaster Council
Colonnades House
Duke Street
Doncaster
DN1 1ER

Tel: 01302 737559